Cicadas: Making Sense of the 17-Year Emergence - by Scientific American

In this video, we break down the complex science of periodical cicadas, one of nature's most intriguing creatures.

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[stargazeronesixseven]

Your tutorial on the 17 years Periodical Cicadas is the most detail, better than from the World Famous BBC! Thank You So Much American Scientific Team! ♥️🌷🕯

[marysu]

When I first came to look at the house I now live in, in 1986, the sound was deafening from these guys, then they vanished only to return in 2003 and now, in 2020! It just boggles my mind that they will soon disappear for another 17 years taking their outer space sound with them! Don't know if I'll still be around for that but I am taking in this hatching as much as possible!

[musicalcacti]

I need to learn more about these amazing creatures!

[DahnHuan]

east TN we have many.. this year is a big one

[guillermodozal]

The 13 and 17 year cicada’s life cycles, prime numbers, it’s because each of these species won their particular arms races. Their natural predators were being born, following the cicada’s cycles, first yearly, then every other year, etc., until the cicadas, by luck, by natural selection, were born with those prime number cycles, and so their predators just never knew how to find them. We, too, have won the arms race from all other predators, to include the current pandemic. Ha!, natural selection is always finding a way, so wonderful! As in the Jurassic Park films, “life will find a way.”

[randolfaquino]

Might have due to a catastrophe..the learned to survive massive upheavels by being under. I am sure they are probably ancient creatures..layman's theory