The Best Articles in Nature
The most useful articles in Nature from around the web—beginners to advanced—curated by thought leaders and our community. We focus on timeless pieces and update the list whenever we discover new, must-read articles or videos—make sure to bookmark and revisit this page.
Top 5 Nature Articles
At a glance: these are the articles that have been most read, shared, and saved in Nature by Refind users in 2023 so far.
How to ...?
How to Protect Species and Save the Planet—at Once
A major new report calls on humanity to tackle the biodiversity and climate crises simultaneously. Here's what that might look like.
«HUMANITY IS STRUGGLING to contain two compounding crises: skyrocketing global temperatures and plummeting biodiversity. But people tend to tackle each problem on its own»
Trending
These links are currently making the rounds in Nature on Refind.
Edward Burtynsky's photos show the scars of human-altered landscapes
Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky discusses his startling and unexpectedly sublime photos – 'an extended lament for the loss of nature' – with Gaia Vince.
Bees can learn, remember, think and make decisions
Scientists are learning amazing things about bees’ sensory perception and mental capabilities.
Want to Improve Your Health? Research Suggests Taking a “Nature Pill.”
New studies confirm that spending time outside can ease physical symptoms
The most mysterious forests on Earth are underwater
Kelp forests are majestic, life-sustaining ecosystems. Climate change imperils them.
On Butterflies - The Paris Review
“Wonder is where it starts, and though wonder is also where it ends, this is no futile path.”
Short Articles
Short on time? Check out these useful short articles in Nature—all under 10 minutes.
The invention that made us human: fire
Richard Wrangham's cooking hypothesis suggests that a ready supply of cooked food allowed the Homo lineage to develop large, complex brains.
Animal Mutation Rates Reveal Traits That Speed Evolution
The first large-scale comparison of mutation rates gives insights into how quickly species can evolve.
We’re one step closer to reading an octopus’s mind
A recording device and electrodes were implanted in the very flexible cephalopods.
What is life? Scientists still can’t agree.
Science writer Carl Zimmer explains why this question has been so hard to answer.
«life is a self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution.”»
Why don't humans have fur?
Most mammals, including our closest living relatives, have fur. So why did we lose ours?
Long Articles
These are some of the most-read long-form articles in Nature.
The Mysterious Deep Time Movements of Snails
How do organisms that are so sedentary end up being so incredibly widely dispersed?
Creatures That Don’t Conform
In the woods near her home, Lucy Jones discovers the magic of slime molds and becomes entangled in their fluid, nonbinary way of being.
Sanctuary
A woman, an elephant, and their uncommon love story spanning more than half a century.
Life Need Not Ever End
New interpretations of the laws of thermodynamics suggest the infamous “heat death” hypothesis, which foretells the end of all life and organization in the universe, might not hold.
Banking on the Seaweed Rush
Seaweed farmers promise to feed us, combat climate change, support coastal communities, provide wildlife habitat, and more. Can seaweed do it all?
Thought Leaders
We monitor hundreds of thought leaders, influencers, and newsletters in Nature, including:

George Monbiot
The corpse at every wedding, the bride at every funeral.
National Geographic
Since its inception nearly 130 years ago, the core purpose of National Geographic has been to further the knowledge and awareness of our world.
grist
We're a nonprofit news org dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Get our journalism in your inbox: https://grist.org/subscribe/
nature
Research, News, and Commentary from Nature, the international journal of science. For daily science news, get Nature Briefing: http://go.nature.com/naturebriefing

Carl T. Bergstrom
Moved to Mastodon: http://fediscience.org/@ct_bergstrom And Bluesky: @carlbergstrom.com he/him
Publications
We monitor hundreds of publications, blogs, newsletters, and news sources in Nature, including:
Nautilus Magazine
Cutting-edge science, unraveled in award-winning journalism by the very brightest living thinkers. Click the link to subscribe to the newsletter.
Quanta Magazine
Big ideas in science and math. Because you want to know more. Launched by @SimonsFdn. 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting. http://quantamagazine.org
Hakai Magazine
An award-winning online magazine connecting you with stories about science and societies from coasts around the world. 🌊 (“HACK-eye")
Live Science
Science news covering top stories of the day in health, environment, animals, technology and space. Part of @FuturePLC
Smithsonian Magazine
Official Twitter feed for Smithsonian magazine. @ replies may be reprinted in the magazine. Legal: http://si.edu/Termsofuse
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