It’s a wild, wild world out there.

Did you know koalas specifically choose the least poisonous eucalyptus leaves for meals? That acacia trees team up with ants to protect themselves from elephants? That there’s an 80,000 year old tree (well, the jury is out if it counts as a tree) in Utah, possibly the largest above-ground organism?

How about that the US manages its forests specifically to protect the five Ws: wood, water, wildlife, wecreation, and wange? That trees actually stop being carbon sinks when they reach a certain age? That you really don’t need to worry about murder hornets — but really, really do need to worry about spotted lanternfly?

It’s a big world and there’s a lot going on in it. Some of it’s pretty neat, some of it’s absolutely fascinating, and some of it is downright terrifying. Enter Systematica: your guide to the stranger corners of this wondrous, beautifully complex world we live in.

About your author:

I’m Mike Mahoney. I’m fascinated by the world we live in, and am dedicated to building better tools to help people understand it. I write posts about plants, landscapes, human ecology, and all my favorite stories from this massive place we call home.

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