Biology
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Cells, bodies, evolution and everything that grows.
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How chameleons change colour: they stretch a mirror made of crystals
A chameleon doesn't change colour by mixing pigments. Under its skin sit cells packed with tiny guanine crystals, arranged in a lattice that works like a…
Autumn leaves don't turn yellow. The yellow was there all summer
Autumn leaves don't really turn yellow. The yellow carotenoids were in the leaf all summer, hidden under green chlorophyll. In autumn the tree dismantles its…
Ten thousand fireflies, no conductor
Once a year in the Great Smoky Mountains, thousands of fireflies flash on and off together, down to a fraction of a second, for hours. No leader calls the…