Traveling through space and time as energetic agents, ocean waves are the result of disturbances of the water surface.
As some waves approach landmasses, they experience the breaking phenomenon, a happening associated worldwide with surfing. These are the plunging breakers.
At some point, the base of a wave can no longer support its top and consequently the [...]

Arachnocampa luminosa is a glow worm in its larval stage and can be found only in New Zealand, in the Waitomo Caves.
The larva of Arachnocampa luminosa spins a nest out of silk and hangs down silk threads studded with sticky droplets of mucus to catch the pray attracted by the glowing effect.
It appears that a [...]

Lava contains most of the nutrients necessary to support life, but the colonization by plants on the newly formed lava flow still remains an astonishing process.
It takes a long time for vegetation to start growing on lava flow. In the beginning, there are favorable conditions only for the lower plants, but as birds begin nesting, [...]

Euphorbia obesa, also known as the baseball plant, is a South African succulent species, endemic in its natural habitat, but well established in cultivation. At first spherical, almost ball-shaped, the Euphorbia obesa becomes cylindrical with age.

Photograph by Karel Jakubec via Wikipedia
The Baseball plant, an unusual plant.

Spigelia genuflexa is a species of ‘genuflecting’ plant named after its adaptation. The species survives only for one season and therefore, after the fruits are formed, the branches bend down to bury the seeds in the ground. By depositing the fruits below ground, Spigelia genuflexa represents an example of geocarpy.

Photograph by Alex Popovkin via Flickr
Spigelia genuflexa bending over [...]

Moon appears larger when near the horizon than it does while higher up in the sky, but although the explanation is still debated, scientists certify it’s just a psychological optical illusion, known as the Moon illusion.
Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska

Photograph by Jason Ahrns, xyzpdqfoo, via Flickr
Big moon over Alaskan forest.

Australian researchers find that a species of dolphin discovered in 1915 was thought to be a common bottlenose, but it is, in fact, an entirely new species. DNA studies have shown that although Tursiops australis, with the common name of ‘Burrunan Dolphin’, shares some characters with the already known bottlenose dolphin species, it also possesses unique characters.
For more [...]

The Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta), a small hawker dragonfly, completes its life-cycle in one year.

Photograph by Michael Bateman, mikeebateman, via Flickr
The Migrant Hawker spotted resting.

To deceive predators or prey, the praying mantises protect themselves by cryptic camouflage, trying to blend into the background. The green leaf mimicry is one example of a praying mantis camouflage.

Photograph by Marcelo Trovó Lopes de Oliveira, horsolino, via Flickr
A praying mantis, the insect that mimics a green leaf to perfection.

With its iridescent plumage and ornamental neck feathers known as hackles, the Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) is one of the most beautiful species of pigeon in the world. The rainbow-colored plumage makes the Nicobar Pigeons to be at their most beautiful in direct sunlight.

Photograph by Daniel Heinzelmann, dasheinzelmaennchen, via Flickr
The Nicobar Pigeon, a rainbow-like pigeon