Kidnapper Ants Steal Other Ants' Babies — And Brainwash Them

This week's featured story is one of those topics that makes this moment on Earth seem a little like a science fiction story. Individuals, surviving in the Sierra Nevada against all odds in the face of whatever the climate is throwing at them. We could be in a cli-fi tale about an isolated band of mountaineers reskilling themselves for the uncertain future. But we're not talking about people; we're talking about trees.

Trees that, individually, have somehow evolved to be just a little more resilient than other trees in the same species. So, there amid a stand of dying sugar pines, there's one that's thriving. Scientists want to know why, and whether that hardy tree could help the species survive climate change.

This story is part of our series for Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more then 300 media outlets to strengthen coverage of climate change. Our commitment is to bring you stories that help you see ways forward, through the environmental crisis now enveloping Earth—stories that help you and your communities become resilient.