Sharon Oosthoek

ON A CALM MORNING in late summer 2019, Jim Bailey was kayaking on Lake Superior near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when he found himself paddling through thick green scum, the likes of which he’d never seen in those waters. Puzzled, he headed into the open bay where he could see green patches stretching out about 3 kilometers....

Snout bubbles let anoles stay submerged in streams for up to about 20 minutes Some anole lizards have a newfound superpower: They can breathe underwater by trapping air in a bubble on their snouts. What’s more, these reptiles can stay submerged for nearly 20 minutes by rebreathing exhaled air in the bubble, a new study shows...

Probiotics aren't just a human health fad - their medicinal properties may be the best way to stop white-nose syndrome wiping out North America's bats

FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED thousand years, polar bears have reigned supreme as the Arctic’s top predator. They are uniquely suited to a frigid world, expert in using sea ice as a platform for hunting ringed and bearded seals. But the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of lower latitudes, and their habitat is changing drastically. Polar bears have survived warming periods in the past — even to the point of crossbreeding with barren ground grizzlies whose territory overlaps theirs in the southern Arctic.

SOMEWHERE ON A windswept cliff on the edge of the Hawaiian island of Kauai grows a plant that looks like a cabbage on a stick. It’s the last wild plant of its kind, and its exact location is a closely guarded secret. Hawaiians call it alula (AH-lou-lah). Even on this island chain, known for its exotic greenery, the alula stands out. Its rosette of wide, leathery leaves sits atop a short, bulbous stem. Creamy yellow flowers give...

Mental health professionals are sounding alarms over pandemic-related depression and anxiety. But some experts say there is another emotion we need to take just as seriously – boredom. While some of us are run off our feet (hello frontline workers), others are stuck at home with little more than sourdough to occupy our days. “People trivialize boredom,” says James Danckert...