Nature

March 20, 2023

The Significance of Cherry Blossoms in Japanese Art & Culture

Every year, villages, towns, and cities across Japan warmly welcome spring with waves of cherry blossoms. As the national flower of Japan (alongside the chrysanthemum and the iris), the cherry blossom—or sakura—holds a special place in Japanese culture. For centuries, people have flocked to see the flora in full bloom, attending entire festivals dedicated to hanami, or “flower-viewing.

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March 3, 2023

3,000-Year-Old Greek Olive Tree in Greece Still Grows Olives

Trees have a certain steadfast, understated beauty. Their longevity means they see people, seasons, and even historical events come and go. Some trees have seen more than others. One twisted, magnificent olive tree in the village of Ano Vouves on the Greek island of Crete has seen millennia spanning from the fall of the Roman Empire to the return of the Olympics to Athens in 2004.

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January 23, 2023

Strange UFO-Shaped Cloud Formation in Turkey Causes a Stir Online

Clouds are funny things. They can be light and fluffy, dark and angry, or take on a wide range of shapes and colors. There are iridescent clouds and there are clouds that look like they've been set on fire. Recently, in the northwestern city of Bursa in Turkey, Hafize Aktaş came across a very unusual cloud that's been causing a stir.

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September 28, 2022

Humpback Whales 8,700 Miles Apart Are Found Singing the Same Songs

Few of us rarely get to hear the beautiful and haunting sound of whale songs. But if you have, the tunes won't all be the same. Whales, like humans, experience cultural evolution through their sounds. The songs of male humpback whales, for instance, actually evolve when individual whales change, alter, or embellish parts of a standard song sequence and others in the group pick up on it and pass it along.

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My Modern Met

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