Scientists once thought that life-sustaining oxygen existed only near Earth’s surface. Then they detected it deep underground ...

Known as the Cambrian Explosion, this flurry of rapid evolution produced most of the animal phyla and ecosystems we see around us today. And it may have taken off because some of those early animals ...

A single leaf may look like a simple patch of green, but to the microscopic life that inhabits it, it is a vast landscape ...

The researchers call this process the ‘fecal revolution.’ Their analysis suggests that growing quantities of animal waste redistributed organic matter and nutrients, helping marine ecosystems become ...

The days are getting longer; the sun angle is higher in the sky and sunlight will penetrate the water rather than deflect off the surface. When the length of the day and light penetration is long ...

We don’t appreciate freshwater nearly enough, even though we use it to quench our thirst, water our crops, and power our homes. Freshwater ecosystems—including rivers, lakes, and wetlands—also provide ...