The philosophers knew it first. “Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together,” wrote Thomas Carlyle in 1831. Since then, science has redefined the word.

The Unspoken

core/paragraph

Liz Greene is the managing editor at Nautilus.

Liz Greene

The cover of Nautilus print edition 65, featuring an illustration of people having a picnic inside a crocodile's open mouth.

General

Print Edition 65: The Food Issue

Print Edition 64

Print Edition 63: The Climates Issue

Print Edition 62

Vittoria Traverso is a freelance writer based in Italy and the U.S. who is interested in stories that can help us see the world differently.

Vittoria Traverso

If Oaks and Orchids Could Talk

Print Edition 61: The Animal Issue

Footer 1

Nav Bar

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Member-exclusive 

Finish this story and enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Nautilus. Plans start at $6.17/month, billed annually.

Read without limits

Exclusive Social Sale: 25% off&nbsp;for new customers that came in from a social platform. September only.&nbsp; “One magazine has risen above its old school competitors to become&nbsp; the coolest science journal in the world.”&nbsp;—Europa Content.&nbsp;

Unlock this story + our newsletter, for FREE! Already a newsletter subscriber? Just click the "Log in" link above. 

Register to continue reading.

Nautilus

Jake Currie is a writer based in Brooklyn, NY.

Jake Currie

Paleontology

Meet the New Otterlike Predator That Scurried Alongside Dinosaurs

Kristen French is a senior editor at Nautilus. She has worked in science journalism since 2013, reporting and writing features and news for publications such as Wired, Backchannel, The Verge, and New York Magazine. She has a masters degree in science journalism from Columbia University.

Kristen French

Psychology

Why Forgive and Forget is Bad Advice

Devin Reese is the executive editor of Natural History and a science writer based in Alexandria, Virginia.

Devin Reese

Zoology

How to Live to Be 194 Years Old

Neanderthals Were Adept Woodworkers Too

David Nield has written about science and technology for more than 20 years. His work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including Wired, Popular Science, The Guardian, and Gizmodo.