Abigail Tucker

A frequent contributor to Smithsonian, Abigail Tucker is the author of The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World and Mom Genes: Inside the New Science of Our Ancient Maternal Instinct. More information is available at her website: abigailtucker.com

Esther Renee Adams, "Mamaw," was laid to rest in her own home. In the mountains of eastern Kentucky, such "country wakes" could last for days.

Capturing Appalachia's "Mountain People"

Shelby Lee Adams' 1990 photograph of life in the eastern Kentucky mountains captured a poignant tradition

Horses brought by Spanish explorers in the 16th century bore a dark stripe along the spine, a feature that marks some mustangs today.

The Mustang Mystique

Descended from animals brought by Spanish conquistadors centuries ago, wild horses roam the West. But are they running out of room?

One of only two plants worldwide that actively trap animal prey, the flytrap is at home in a surprisingly small patch of U.S. soil.

The Venus Flytrap's Lethal Allure

Native only to the Carolinas, the carnivorous plant that draws unwitting insects to its spiky maw now faces dangers of its own

Biologists long believed that lions band together to hunt prey. But Craig Packer and colleagues have found that's not the main reason the animals team up.

The Truth About Lions

The world's foremost lion expert reveals the brutal, secret world of the king of beasts

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that most Americans engage in moderate activity less than three times a week.

Are Americans Stuck to their Cubicles?

After a debilitating bicycle accident kept her inactive, Mary Collins toured the country studying Americans’ sedentary lifestyle

Many man-eaters are wounded or old; some have been deprived of natural prey sources; others may simply have developed a fondness for human flesh.

The Most Ferocious Man-Eating Lions

Africa's lions may usually prey on zebras or giraffes, but they also attack humans, with some lions responsible for over 50 deaths

Geladas (a male and female in the Simien Mountains) signal their status with the livid skin on their chests.

Ethiopia's Exotic Monkeys

High in the Simien Mountains, researchers are getting a close-up look at the exotic, socially adventuresome primates known as geladas

Baltimore has been a national hotspot for rat studies for well over half a century.

Crawling Around with Baltimore Street Rats

The “urban ecosystem” serves as a research lab for scientist Gregory Glass, who studies the lives of the Charm City’s rats

Controversy over Meriwether Lewis' death has descendants and scholars campaigning to exhume his body at his grave site in Tennessee.

Meriwether Lewis' Mysterious Death

Two hundred years later, debate continues over whether the famous explorer committed suicide or was murdered

Heading to Canada from as far away as Argentina, red knot sandpipers stop to feast on the eggs of horseshoe crabs at Delaware Bay.

Return of the Sandpiper

Thanks to the Delaware Bay's horseshoe crabs, the tide may be turning for an imperiled shorebird

The history of the nuptial pastry is even stranger than these modern rituals suggests.

The Strange History of the Wedding Cake

How the traditional treat came to be

Building a robot that humans can love is pretty ambitious. But Javier Movellan (in his San Diego lab with RUBI) says he would like to develop a robot that loves humans.

Robot Babies

Can scientists build a machine that learns as it goes and plays well with others?

Originally buried in an unmarked grave in 1849, Edgar Allan Poe's remains were moved to this downtown Baltimore monument in 1875.

Forget Edgar Allan Poe? Nevermore!

Cities up and down the East Coast claim author Edgar Allan Poe as their own and and celebrate his 200th birthday

Where do they go? How many are there? What's with the tusk? Narwhals (in the Arctic Ocean) have inspired myth and wonder but are still little known to science.

In Search of the Mysterious Narwhal

Ballerina turned biologist Kristin Laidre gives her all to study the elusive, deep-diving, ice-loving whale known as the "unicorn of the sea"

Citizens of Mexico City wear masks to prevent the spread of swine flu.

Dreading the Worst When it Comes to Epidemics

A scientist by training, author Philip Alcabes studies the etymology of epidemiology and the cultural fears of worldwide disease

One of the riches found at Khara Khorum, this gold alloy bracelet dates from the 14th century. It is decorated with a phoenix flanked by demons.

Genghis Khan’s Treasures

Beneath the ruins of Genghis Khan’s capital city in Central Asia, archaeologists discovered artifacts from cultures near and far

Archaeologists excavated the jail had to cope with groundwater that filled trenches as fast as they were dug.

Digging Up the Past at a Richmond Jail

The excavation of a notorious jail recalls Virginia's leading role in the slave trade

At the Church of the Nativity, three rival Christian groups use their caretaking duties to maintain their claims to the basiilica.

Endangered Site: Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

The basilica believed to mark the birthplace of Jesus Christ has survived invasions, rebellions and earthquakes

Soldier beetles mate on a bed of flowers.

The Curious Do's and Don'ts of Insect Dating Behavior

Bugs tap, dance and buzz to attract their mates—and some get eaten

Domestic cats are the most popular pet in America, numbering some 80 million.

Cats as Pets and Predators

Jake Page explores the evolution and enigmatic ways of the most popular pet in America -- the house cat

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