


How bush pigs saved Madagascar’s baobabs
Non-native species are not always harmful
THE MALAGASY baobab tree, whose thick trunks and tiny branches dot Madagascar’s landscape, should not, by rights, have survived to the present day. Scientists believe that its large seeds were once dispersed by the giant tortoises and gorilla-size giant lemurs that roamed the island. When these species went extinct over one thousand years ago owing to human activity, the baobab tree should have vanished too. It did not. Seheno Andriantsaralaza at the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar and Onja Razafindratsima at the University of California, Berkeley, now think they may know the reason why.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “In hog heaven”

How harmful are electronic cigarettes?
The risks of vaping may be worth the benefits

Why don’t seals drown?
They can time their dives to match their blood oxygen

Rumours on social media could cause sick people to feel worse
They are powerful triggers of an inverse placebo effect
Can people be persuaded not to believe disinformation?
AI chatbots and critical thinking courses might help
Do viruses trigger Alzheimer’s?
A growing group of scientists think so, and are asking whether antivirals could treat the disease
What is the best way to keep your teeth healthy?
Tooth-brushing reigns supreme. But fluoride in tap water is a good safety net