Was the rise of humankind written in the stars? A nearby star exploding 8 million years ago might have triggered more frequent lightning on Earth. Wildfires ignited by that lightning could help explain the rise of east African savannahs – which many researchers think provided a vital backdrop for the early evolution of hominins. Image: USFWS/Southeast
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What is a vast grassland doing in the middle of the world’s largest rainforest? Conservationists say that fires started by the indigenous people have destroyed the forests. Others argue that the savannah has existed for millennia and that the fires conserve this natural landscape. Both could be wrong. Image: Duda Arraes
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With the exception of wildlife film makers, arboriculturalists and a few scientists, most of us don’t spend much time in the leafy upper reaches of tree canopies. But in the underground forests beneath the savannahs of southern Africa and South America, it’s an experience open to all. Image: Accretion Disc
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