Folklore sheds light on ancient Indian savannas. Michigan State University, Nov. 25, 2025. Nearly 40% of the land on Earth is covered not by forests, or ice, but by vast expanses of open grasslands. Now, scientists are turning to an untapped source to uncover their history: centuries-old folklore. Picked up by Smithsonian Magazine, Yahoo News, Nautilus, The Debrief, Times of India and India Today.