Is there life on Mars? That’s the wrong question. Every time scientists from NASA, the European Space Agency, or any other terrestrial organization bring news back from Mars of fresh discoveries in the hunt to find evidence of life on the fourth planet, I find myself mildly annoyed that the general populace’s focus is trained … Read more
Imagine you are a horny male redback spider. You might be a small guy—a fraction of her size—but unlike some, you don’t have a complex about it. You’re just happy to be there, “there” meaning the haphazard snarl of a web of a female redback spider. Only 20 percent of male redback spiders ever mate, … Read more
Spiders are famous aesthetes. Many craft radially symmetric webs, first extruding long silken spokes and then spinning spiraling strands to snag prey. In the mornings, the intricately laid silk sparkles with dew drops. Your average, generic spiderweb spun by the most run-of-the-mill, Joe-Eightpack spider will still probably be one of the more beautiful structures constructed … Read more