Why Are Periodical Cicadas So ... Periodical?

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Certain cicada species in North America emerge from the ground by the millions every 13 or 17 years. But why those specific intervals? Are cicadas secretly prime-number-loving mathematicians?!

Hosted by: Michael Aranda

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Sources:
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/04-1175
https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/104/3/443/22755
https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/36/6/1187/5372347
https://www.pnas.org/content/110/17/6919
https://peerj.com/articles/5282/
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/10-1583.1
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/668596?seq=1
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2463533?seq=1
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-are-cicadas-180975009/
https://www.aimsciences.org/journals/displayArticlesnew.jsp?paperID=512

Images:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magicicada_septendecim_TPopp.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cicada_Final_Molt_and_Darkening_timelapse_14_2021-05-27.webm
https://freesound.org/people/dethrok/sounds/272169/
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/sb0129-a-cicada-climbs-a-tree-this-cicada-is-part-of-brood-viii-which-only-appears-in-western-pennsylvania-every-17-years-rjgvnyn6njw15ht2p
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/cicada-nymph-emerging-from-ground-vdzlqfd
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/sb0131-a-cicada-climbs-a-tree-this-cicada-is-part-of-brood-viii-which-only-appears-in-western-pennsylvania-every-17-years-sc1_ni4tvjw1adpud
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/cicada-nymph-climbing-tree-ffugvu6
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/greengrocer-cicada-insect-cicadinae-australasiae-oxc3sbd
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/crow-looking-for-food-on-the-ground-rwex91emio6dwz27
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/brand-new-baby-birds-resting-in-the-nest-blmadpqzfmjiyc3rzi
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/birds-flying-in-blue-sky-tranquil-background-nature-scene-bpl7ub5slkanm1ztg
https://www.storyblocks.com/video/stock/slow-motion-footage-of-a-cute-little-squirrel-looking-for-food-on-a-rainy-day-hwmzas6xdkkv2275r
https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/high-quality-realistic-trendy-no-frame-smartphone-with-blank-white-screen-mockup-gm1224237679-359894798
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/seventeen-year-cicada-gm178592206-24921996
https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/calendar-deadline-or-event-reminder-notification-gm1195104023-340548700