African smoke over the Amazon

The Brazilian rainforest is one of the world's few continental regions with clean air. However, this is only true during the wet season, when the concentration of particulate matter is very low. During the dry season, it's ...

Tropical insects are extremely sensitive to changing climates

Insects that are adapted to perennially wet environments, like tropical rainforests, don't tend to do well when their surroundings dry out. New research published this Wednesday indicates they may be equally averse to heavy ...

New study shows the Amazon makes its own rainy season

A new study gives the first observational evidence that the southern Amazon rainforest triggers its own rainy season using water vapor from plant leaves. The finding helps explain why deforestation in this region is linked ...

'Eyespots' in butterflies shown to distract predatory attack

Research has demonstrated with some of the first experimental evidence that coloration or patterns can be used to "deflect" attacks from predators, protecting an animal's most vulnerable parts from the predators most likely ...

Huge tract of Australia in 'biggest ever drought'

The Australian state of Queensland is in the grip of its most widespread drought ever, with close to 80 percent of its territory parched after a failed wet season, officials said Friday.

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