Welcome to The Porthole
Short sharp looks at science.
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Snakes Break All the Rules
Stephen S. Hall on writing his new book Slither: How Nature’s Most Maligned Creatures Illuminate Our World
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Why We Might Not Find Life on Titan
At most, its oceans may contain biomass equivalent to a small dog
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Destruction for Thee, Habitat for Me
For Schaus’ swallowtail butterflies, hurricanes mean clear skies and bright futures -
As Mountains Rise, Biodiversity Blooms
Steeper, faster, and higher peaks make more species -
When Earth Was a Pale Green Dot
The planet’s first photosynthesizers dined on green light -
Planet Nurseries Are Smaller Than We Thought
An explanation for the abundance of super-Earths -
Eastern North America Is a Geological Hotbed
Violent crumpling of rock left a continental edge that is much more interesting than we imagined
