Hurricanes are making spiders more aggressive: It’s rapid evolution at work

In the wake of natural disasters such as hurricanes, some spider populations are becoming more aggressive.  According to a peer-reviewed study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution on Monday, damage from extreme weather events such as hurricanes are creating habitat changes that affect animals in those areas.

Researchers found that as a result of these weather events, one spider species, Anelosimus studiosus, has begun to evolve because of natural selection, according to the study.

The study showed that hurricanes decrease the populations of flying insects, so there is less available food for spiders, Jonathan Pruitt, the research chair at McMaster University and study lead author told USA TODAY…

Increasing Resilience During A Recession: Three Factors Of Successful Companies

It’s been 12 years since the last recession, when the World Bank estimates that global GDP fell by 1.7%. But some companies were better prepared than others: their revenues didn’t fall as far and, as the recession ended, they recovered more quickly than their peers. Looking at what these organizations did differently, and learning lessons from their experiences can help leaders prepare for the unexpected—whatever the source of turbulence.

According to a recent study of more than 1,000 large, publicly-traded companies, three factors made the biggest difference before, during, and after the downturn:…