The mysterious signals of nature
The signals sent in the natural world may seem strange to us, but are actually very clever means of communication. "I just couldn’t get through to you, the signal was too weak.” This remark is oft heard today when our cell
Ants most f-ant-astic !
Common insects with unique capabilities, ants as we know them now evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. They live in highly organized colonies and are found almost everywhere on earth. Forward march! One, two, one, two
Mingling with the Mangroves
Mangroves are a collection of trees and shrubs that live in the coastal intertidal region, and are extremely important for the biodiversity of that place. Tanishka had mixed feelings one morning when her parents told her that they would be visiting a
Our ode to Fair Monsoons
Come and serenade the season of monsoon with Katie Bagli, and our eternal love-affair with the season which brings with it the fruitfulness of spring and summers, and the fulfilment of autumn. Each year most of us look forward to the
Nothing like silk
Spiders are so needed, and yet so misunderstood. They have, in fact, coined a term to describe the fear of spiders! Arachnophobia! And yet, one can but marvel at the amazing shapes, geometric precision and quality of their spun webs. We
Home, leafy home
Most animals depend directly or indirectly on leaves that serve as continuous suppliers of life-supporting oxygen, and also as kitchens where food is prepared for the plant. But these amazing kitchens also double up as homes for a host of
Nature’s own weather forecasters
Did you know that certain plants too can accurately forecast weather? Unlike us, they do it without computers and other instruments. One such plant is the Silver Oak tree. When a storm is about to approach, they flip over their leaves,
Exploring the incredibly intelligent resident of the ocean
If you were to examine all the Octopuses (name comes from the Greek word, októpus, meaning "eight foot) in the sea, you would be surprised to find that some of them have fewer than eight tentacles – perhaps five or
What’s that Cackle?
Imagine that you are holidaying somewhere out in the wild, near a forest, and just as you are about to retire to bed, you hear cackles that curdles your blood. What could it be? You wonder. A witch laughing hysterically?