In today’s Discovery: The hidden world under Antarctica’s ice. Plus, is Earth under threat from these asteroids, and the ocean’s squishiest creatures finally reveal their secrets. 

But first: The real science behind the butterfly effect.

The butterfly effect—which theorizes that a tiny change now can lead to gigantic changes in the future—is a popular concept depicted in everything from movies to social media. But the science behind it could help scientists predict the future.

More discoveries:
— What is causing these massive, mysterious explosions in space?
— Solving this oceanic enigma could help predict our future on Earth

How were the Old Masters able to paint animals in exquisite yet accurate detail? At a time when many artists looked to capture nature in all its detail, one Flemish painter Jacob Hoefnagel, famously obsessed with accuracy, painted with butterfly dust and sometimes fastened actual dragonfly wings to his paintings. 

You can see the glory and exacting precision of these artists for yourself in a new joint exhibition between the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian’s Natural History Musuem which couples the works of master painters and their actual animal counterparts side-by-side.

BEFORE YOU GO: Trolls, elves, and shapeshifters? Explore the myths, legends, and island life at the edge of the Atlantic.

Today’s newsletter was edited and curated by Jennifer Baik and produced by Rita Spinks Did someone forward this to you? Sign up for our other newsletters here.