Earth

Agriculture

Farm life turns male toads female

A detailed inventory of toads in Florida finds that, as land becomes more agricultural, more cane toads resemble females both inside and out.

Agriculture

Fishy Data on Weed Killer

A popular weed killer can feminize wildlife by tinkering with a gene that indirectly affects the production of sex hormones.

Science & Society

Climate Threatens Living Fossil

Thanks to global warming, within the lifetimes of certain reptiles in the South Pacific, all members of their species could be born male.

Earth

Precious little gems

Ancient microdiamonds embedded inside ancient zircons found in western Australia suggest that life may have existed on Earth up to 4.25 billion years ago.

Climate

EPA asks: Could you drive less?

Gas prices may need to climb more before most of us do the right thing.

Animals

Live fast, die young

With a lifespan of just five months, the chameleon Furcifer labordi leads a briefer life than any other land-dwelling vertebrate.

Animals

Whaling, to be announced

The 60th meeting of the International Whaling Commission defers voting on deadlocked issues

Ecosystems

Ecosystem engineers

Nonnative earthworms are deliberately burying ragweed seeds, enhancing the weed’s growth, researchers report.

Agriculture

Bee-Loved Plantings

Zipcode-organized guidelines tell gardeners, farmers and others how to design a landscape that will not only entice pollinators but also keep these horticultural helpers happy.

Earth

Under Ice

Cruising in an icebreaker to the top of the world, scientists identified the aftermath of an event once thought impossible: a violent volcanic eruption on the deep-sea floor.

Plants

Move it or lose it

Climate change may have dire consequences for California’s native plants, which may need to take refuge in some the areas under pressure for development.

Earth

Resonating with the ocean

An experiment may explain the origin of underwater waves that shape the sediment of continental slopes.