The activities are as follows: Climate change is affecting our world in many ways. Globally, we are experiencing more droughts and wildfires, shifting seasons, and rising sea levels. Species are responding as well. Some can shift their ranges to follow cooler temperatures. But what about organisms, like fish, that cannot easily move to a new
animals
Live fast, die young?
Garter snakes are a common sight across North America, but one small species in Northern California has helped scientists learn a lot about how animals adapt to their environment. Since 1972, a long lineage of scientists has studied these snakes and passed their data down through generations. This long-term dataset allows scientists to ask questions
What wakes the squirrels?
The activities are as follows: The Arctic is home to a unique biome, known as tundra. Found at Earth’s northernmost region, the tundra ecosystem is defined by frozen land. Permafrost is a thick underground layer of organic matter, soil, rock, and ice that has been frozen for at least two full years. Each summer as the temperature warms, a thin
The science of stamen loss
The activities are as follows: Plants and animals have adaptations, or traits that help them survive and pass on more of their genes to the next generation. Flowers are a key adaptation for plants because they help the attract pollinators and reproduce. Flowers come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and forms. While flowers as a
Anole’s new niche
The activities are as follows: Throughout our history, humans have been moving species around the world. In your own backyard there are likely multiple species that have come from different countries and mixed into your local ecosystem. Human movement of species has sped up in the last 150 years as we have gotten better at traveling
Bear Necessities: A genetic panel for bear identification
The activities are as follows: North Carolina is home to many black bears. As human development expands into bear habitats, conflicts between people and bears are becoming more common. In these situations, identifying individual bears and understanding their origins is essential. This ensures that wildlife officials can correctly manage aggressive or relocated bears. It also allows
Reconstructing the behaviour of ancient animals
The activities are as follows: Fossils are the ancient remains of organisms that existed thousands to millions of years ago. Scientists look through fossil records to learn about the lives of animals and plants that are extinct today. Fossils can hold clues about the environment, how species interacted with each other, what they ate, and even
Little butterflies on the prairie
The activities are as follows: Butterflies are insects with colorful wings. You will often see them in a field, flying from flower to flower. Butterflies eat a sugary food made by flowers, called nectar. In return, the butterflies help the plants make seeds by moving pollen. As they travel from flower to flower, pollen is dropped
Did you hear that? Inside the world of fruit fly mating songs
The activities are as follows: Communication comes in all forms – through sound, smell, sight, touch, or even taste. The purpose of communication is to share some form of message or information to another organism. One form of communication between humans is talking, which is when we make a variety of noises as we speak using language.
Guppies on the move
The activities are as follows: Animal parents often choose where to have their offspring in the place that will give them the best chance at success. They look for places that have plentiful food, low risk of predation, and good climate. Even though parents pick out these spots, individuals often move away from their birthplace at some