But goats are generalists: the world is their meadow. Leave them on an island—they will not spend all their energy on refusal and regret but will experiment until they find something new to eat, life sufficient condiment for the scraggliest fare. Put them in a barn with frocks and cigars and political pamphlets and toy blocks and banjos and yo-yos

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When the common periwinkle population exploded in Maine in the 19th century, it literally changed the color of the coastline. The stone-colored winkles ate the orange, red and green algae that once lined the bottom of the northeastern shallows. Marine biologists have studied oil paintings from the period to try and determine the degree of this... See more

In late July, almost 100 long-finned pilot whales left the deep, usually cold waters where they live—so deep, so cold that scientists have barely been able to study them. Together they came to the coast of western Australia and huddled into a massive heart shape (if your heart were shaped like 100 black whales, like mine is). Then, collectively,... See more