The average temperature on Earth rose dramatically during the last century. This is due to human activity, which led to the increased atmospheric concentration of certain gases, typically called greenhouse gases. These gases increase the solar heat trapped by our planet. The greenhouse gas methane... click to read more

More than two billion years ago, a group of microorganisms called cyanobacteria invented oxygenic photosynthesis, the process that turns light, carbon dioxide, and water into chemical energy and oxygen. Cyanobacteria are the plants of the microbial world - in fact, plants can perform photosynthesis because... click to read more

In a famous cartoon, a fish morphs slowly into a human as it forsakes water for dry land. With sly humor, this doodle actually captures a pervasive narrative of evolutionary history: the oceans are life's cradle, with life gaining the continents only later. Seemingly, the... click to read more

Plants capture sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into food and oxygen. This seemingly simple process is called photosynthesis. Without it we wouldn't be able to eat and breathe. What framed the benignant greenery, how did plants come to paint the Earth emerald and... click to read more