sauropod illustration

Thunder in His Footsteps

The ghost of the most gigantic animal that ever walked the earth is conjured to life when a lone fossil hunter tracks down the first true footprints left by this stupendous creature, and thrills to the romance of a great discovery.

Individuality, Temperament, and Genius in Animals

Research that lets us appreciate human individuality

Seeing Corals with the Eye of Reason

A rediscovered painting celebrates Charles Darwin’s view of life.

Aelurodon ferox pack pursues a three-toed horse

How Dogs Came to Run the World

During the past 40 million years, three great lineages arose in the dog family.

worms

Evolution’s Non Debate

When Titanoboa ruled the Amazon

Florida Museum researchers’ discovery of a giant fossilized snake reveals that the tropics were ruled by beasts larger than anyone imagined.

Mirror Neurons

Mental Mirrors

Special cells in the brain mimic the actions and intentions of others, forming the basis of empathy and social connections.

butterflies

The Origins of Form

Ancient genes, recycled and repurposed, control embryonic development in organisms of striking diversity.

Darwin's Shrink

Darwin’s Shrink

A noted Darwin historian probes the naturalist’s inner life.

Moray eel

Jaws Two

Moray eels grab scientific attention—and more—with their jaws.

Recent Stories

The way they live, the food they eat, and the effect on us

A true but unlikely tale

Story and Photographs by William Rowan

Increasing day length on the early Earth boosted oxygen released by photosynthetic cyanobacteria.

Genomic evidence shows that Denisovans and modern humans may have overlapped in Wallacea.