Turns out, you just need to catch a boat from Ventura and head about an hour offshore to Channel Islands National Park, where nature has been running its own private laboratory for thousands of years.

A wraparound deck lets you dine while surrounded by nature on all sides. It’s like having a fancy picnic in the forest without any of the usual hassles. The treehouse section becomes especially ...

Animals with larger brains produce fewer, larger offspring, explaining why birds evolved bigger eggs than the largest dinosaurs.