MS-LS1-4

Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.

  1. Ecosystems

    Secret forest fungi partner with plants — and help the climate

    Forest fungi are far more than mere mushrooms. They explore. They move nutrients and messages between plants. They can even help fight climate change.

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  2. Plants

    Let’s learn about meat-eating plants

    Carnivorous plants use a variety of strategies to lure in and capture their prey, from sticky traps to jawlike leaves.

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  3. Animals

    Scientists Say: Marsupial

    These mammals are known for riding around in a pouch on their mother’s belly, where they continue developing after they’re born.

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  4. Animals

    Most species of beetles pee differently than other insects

    Scientists uncover their unique system for balancing ions and water. The findings may hint at why beetles are the most diverse animals on Earth.

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  5. Animals

    Explainer: Insects, arachnids and other arthropods

    Arthropods are all around us, but identifying them can be hard. To start, look at the four main groups: chelicera, crustaceans, myriapods and insects.

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  6. Animals

    Attack of the inner-cannibal mega-shark

    The outsized megalodon was a fierce terror that chewed its way across the oceans. It learned to kill even before it was born.

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  7. Environment

    Jumping ‘snake worms’ are invading U.S. forests

    These bad-news invaders are spreading across the United States. As they turn forest debris into bare ground, soils and ecosystems are changing.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    When physicians and veterinarians team up, all species benefit

    When doctors for people and those for animals share their expertise, they can discover new ways to take better medical care of all species.

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  9. Animals

    Learning what stresses queen bees could save their hives

    Beehives often die off after the queen gets too stressed to make enough babies. New tests could identify what stressed her — and point to solutions.

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  10. Animals

    A single chemical may draw lonely locusts into a hungry swarm

    Swarms of locusts can destroy crops. Scientists have discovered a chemical that might make locusts come together in huge hungry swarms.

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  11. Microbes

    Some deep-seafloor microbes still alive after 100 million years!

    Some starving microbes nap while awaiting their next meal. For some living miles below the ocean surface, that nap may exceed 100 million years.

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  12. Health & Medicine

    Explainer: What is puberty?

    Puberty isn’t just a time for zits, breasts and deeper voices. It also spurs brain development that helps teens handle emotions and deal with stress.

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