The science of symmetry | The Royal Society

Symmetric patterns of magnetic stripes seen on either side of mid-ocean ridges

The symmetry provides evidence of seafloor spreading, where new oceanic crust is created at mid-ocean ridges, which pushes older ocean crust away on either side. Matching the pattern to magnetized material in rocks on Earth’s surface provided a timeline of ocean floor recycling.

Why patterns in art are so pleasing

Repeated visual cues like shapes or lines derive from the brain's innate compulsion to identify faces, places, bodies, and more. With repeated shapes, the brain seeks out resolution to the subtle variations between them. See examples in art and music.

The golden ratio is believed to underlie patterns in nature and beauty

The irrational mathematical constant has been cited in art, architecture, and nature since its origins in ancient Greece. Its connection to the Fibonacci sequence has associated it with spiral patterns in pineapples, pinecones, and other plants.

Learn how natural systems exhibit characteristics of chaos theory

In biology, some mathematical models of ecosystem populations and heart irregularities show strong sensitivity to initial conditions, which scientists can simulate to determine quantitative tipping points at which these systems become unstable. Within the social sciences, crowd behavior and the virality of social media posts have shown how human behavior fits within the framework of chaos theory.

The science of optical illusions

The human brain has developed cognitive shortcuts to help us navigate in a world where our visual senses are constantly bombarded of information. But these shortcuts can also be exploited, tricking the brain into telling us something is happening when it really isn't. This short video unpacks the neuroscience behind some of the most common (but perplexing) optical illusions.

A fascinating look at why cucumber tendrils coil in opposite directions

The tendrils of cucumber plants coil when they hit a surface, creating a distinct telephone-cord look. Charles Darwin wrote about the mystery in the 1850s, though it wasn't until the 21st century that scientists figured out just how mysterious the coil is: its tendrils coil in opposite directions.

The secret lives of cells

Cutting-edge microscopy has revealed previously unseen interactions of biological molecules within their cellular environment, enabling scientists to observe and analyze the molecules in a holistic view. This podcast explains the minute advancements made over the last few decades in observing cells, revealing how scientists have come and what the future holds for the field.

Human anatomy provides evidence for evolution

Throughout history, scientists have used anatomy to support the Theory of Evolution in three main ways. Homologous structures, or similar physical features in organisms that serve different functions, can help scientists understand common ancestors....

Meet siphonophores, breathtaking jellyfish-like organisms

Siphonophores are colonial jelly-like creatures made up of specialized segments that work together as one. They're fairly unknown despite being a significant sea predator. Sink into their strange beauty with this video.

Why are there as many males as females?

Pretty much every species breaks down with an equal sex-ratio, with roughly the same number of males as females. But on the surface, it appears that most species wouldn't need many males to keep the population growing, with their energy-efficient, abundant sex cell production. So why is it equal? Scientists argue an equal ratio is the most evolutionarily stable. Learn about this quirk of biology here.

A quick video on how your immune system works

Explore how your immune system’s vast network of cells, tissues, and organs coordinate your body’s defenses against bacteria, viruses and toxins with this 5-minute TED talk video.

Why don't we all have cancer?

The creation of a single cell produces 120,000 genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. This video investigates how our bodies proofread and autocorrect those mistakes.

Fungi can cause disease, but they’re also our planet’s key decomposers

Fungi are their own taxonomic kingdom separate from flora and fauna, acting as the key decomposers and nutrient recyclers for our planet. Watch this video to understand the diverse types of fungi and the stages of the fungal life cycle. This video illustrates how fungi species may spread, eat nematode worms, damage nearby plants, and much more.

Visual deep dive into the collapse of insects

The most diverse group of organisms on the planet are in trouble, with recent research suggesting insect populations are declining at an unprecedented rate. Explore this visual interactive on the issue from Reuters Graphics.

The complexity of classifying a tree

It may seem obvious to us when we see a tree, but very specific characteristics cause scientists to distinguish trees from other types of plants. This video provides a visual and verbal explanation of distinctions that separate trees from other plants like shrubs or herbs. See a scientific breakdown of these traits.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

See how each of the more than two million known species relates to each other—and to common ancestors—in this zoomable tree of life.

The science of springtime, 101

Dive into the basics on springtime including the astronomy that brings it about, natural signs of spring's arrival, and some of the cultural approaches to the season.

Images of jumping lemurs and octopus moms promote conservation efforts

Winners and finalists from the California Academy of Sciences' BigPicture Photography Competition showcase the incredible biodiversity of Earth. The striking images are judged by a panel of nature and conservation photography experts.

Language is evolution's great mystery

What we call language is something more specific than communication. Language is about sharing what’s in our minds: stories, opinions, questions, the past or future, imagined times or places, ideas. So what does language mean for humanity, and how did we come to have it? Watch this brief video to discover more.

What we can learn from animal societies' ethics

In 2017, researchers won a Nobel Prize for their work controlling fruit fly circadian rhythms

This detailed circadian rhythm infographic breaks down a day in the biological life of a fly, providing a peek at some of the groundbreaking work that elicited a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

A map of every object in our solar system

The infographic from 2020 illustrates the complexity of our solar system, mapping over 18,000 objects including asteroids, comets, planets, and moons. Created by biologist Eleanor Lutz using data from NASA, it shows the non-linear distribution of objects due to the sun's gravitational pull. Objects nearer to the sun are more numerous, forming tighter orbits, while those farther out are fewer and more widely spaced.

The key ingredients to life on Earth—and elsewhere

Life can only arise in incredibly specific conditions, an abundance of certain substances like water and phosphorus, lots of time, and the right proximity to a heat-and-light-providing star. These two experts on evolution of life say above all, life requires luck. Here's a list of eight ingredients to life.

Learn how your body is, scientifically, like a firework with its own slow, controlled burn.

Here’s why genetically identical sisters can have different colored eyes

The sequence of DNA that we inherit from our parents encodes directions for making our cells and giving us specific traits. Identical twins have the same DNA sequence, so how can one twin end up with a genetic disorder while the other twin does not? Robin Ball explains how the secret lies in X chromosome inactivation.

The theory of axiogenesis may explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in our universe

Axiogenesis suggests that a theoretical particle field that evolved after the Big Bang may have spun like a marble around a wobbly “Mexican hat” energy landscape, producing excess matter over antimatter. This theoretical particle—the axion—may also make up dark matter, solving an additional mystery in astronomy.

How the British Empire transformed into today’s voluntary Commonwealth of Nations

This video explains how former British colonies—now independent states—evolved into the modern Commonwealth, a loose association representing nearly one-third of the world’s population. It traces the shift from imperial rule to a cooperative forum with no legal obligations to Britain or its monarch.

After NASA's Voyager 1 captured Earth as a single pixel as it left the solar system in 1990, astronomer Carl Sagan used the image to reflect on humanity's fragility and the responsibility to protect 'the only world we've ever known.'

All rainbows are 'raincircles' caused by water droplets separating white sunlight into a spectrum of colors, but Earth's surface blocks the bottom half of the circle from our line of sight.

Crows are believed to have intelligence on par with a seven-year-old child and demonstrate complex behaviors, from problem-solving with tools to recognizing human faces.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

While the sun's gravity keeps the planets in orbit, their gravity also pulls on the sun, causing it and everything else in the solar system to orbit around a mutual balance point called the barycenter—the true center of the solar system.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Fear or disgust related to clusters of holes and cracks, called trypophobia, may stem from evolutionary processes to help us avoid pathogens.

SpongeBob exemplifies Aristotle's philosophy for living well because he understands that happiness doesn't come from external factors like money, recognition, or power.

Visualize how CRISPR-Cas9—a type of immune system used by single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses—targets and makes precise changes to a gene's DNA.

Watch how algorithms can be designed to train themselves and self-improve without human input, to the point where the optimized code is too complex for programmers to understand.

Explore chaos in this simulation of two double pendulums, where small differences in the release angles produce wildly different outcomes.

See the most iconic photos from four decades of LIFE magazine

Browse a detailed visual analysis of over 200,000 similes—comparisons that often use 'like' or 'as'—from popular fiction to see how frequently writers the same idiomatic expressions.

Coral polyps reproduce via broadcast spawning, where entire reefs simultaneously release reproductive cells for about one hour, once a year.

The Brothers Grimm were lawyers before they were storytellers, but became interested in fairy tales as they began investigating how rules and customs had been passed down through cultures.

Sunflowers have long been a symbol of nuclear disarmament because they can extract large amounts of radioactive cesium from soil.

Georgia O'Keeffe's flower paintings are often assumed to be sexual, though the artist claimed she was simply interested in highlighting the beauty of flowers that most people neglect

An investigation suggests a Scottish island became awash in forever chemicals via seafoam and seaspray—raising questions about what that means for the safety of other coastal areas.

Objects can be 3D printed with light by projecting 2D computerized tomography (CT) scans onto rotating cylinders of resin, which solidify upon exposure.

Legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the SC Johnson headquarters in Wisconsin, aiming to make a cathedral-like workplace

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

The US Constitution is widely regarded as the longest-standing written national constitution still in force—see how it has influenced rights worldwide.