Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. There’s an important concept in evolutionary biology called ...

Madagascar is home to some of the world’s most unique and remarkable species. However, one of its most awe-inspiring residents, the elephant bird, vanished from the planet roughly 1,000 years ago.

Trevor Snyder pulls open an incubator and gently lifts out a device that looks like a high-tech coffee pod. It's black, with a honeycomb bottom. A clear flat top reveals what's inside. "This is a ...