Articles

Valentine’s Day–it’s not just for humans.

Critter Cupids: Animals in Love

Ever wonder how a giant panda says I love you? Or how a sea lion bonds with a best friend?

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This Sea Slug Discards Its Penis After Sex and Grows Another

Chromodoris reticulata, native to the Pacific, engages in mating behavior previously unknown in the rest of the animal kingdom

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A Restaurant in Japan Is Serving a $110 Tasting Menu Featuring Dirt

Japan's foodies have turned their attention to a new delicacy on Tokyo menus; will dirt turn up next in haute cuisine in New York and London?

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Trash Threatens Fragile Antarctic Environment

Decaying field huts, open pits of trash and oil-slicked beaches mar King George Island, a logistical hub for Antarctic research

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What Makes the Trout in Ecuador Look Like Salmon?

Aiming to catch a few trout for dinner, the author decides to try his luck at one of the region's many "sport fishing" sites

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World War I: 100 Years Later

Unmanned Drones Have Been Around Since World War I

They have recently been the subject of a lot of scrutiny, but the American military first began developing similar aerial vehicles during World War I

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Reckless Breeding of the Unfit: Earnest Hooton, Eugenics and the Human Body of the Year 2000

A future America, populated by horse-faced, spindly giants with big feet

A rendering of Asteroid 2012 DA14, which will pass within 17,200 miles of Earth’s surface.

An Asteroid Will Skim Right By the Earth on Friday Afternoon

The 147-foot-wide rock will pass a scant 17,200 miles from Earth's surface, under the orbits of some telecom satellites

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The Masked Merriment of Mardi Gras

For centuries, the day's revelry has featured the liberated feeling of hiding in plain view

Eugene Byrne and Simon Gurr wanted to celebrate Darwin’s lifelong spirit of curiosity and bring the message to kids with their new graphic novel.

At Age 204, Charles Darwin Gets Animated

Check out scenes from the new comic "Darwin: A Graphic Biography" by Eugene Byrne and Simon Gurr

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This Artist Uses Meat As His Medium

Dominic Episcopo's red and raw images capture the spirit of Americana.

Ezell A. Blair, Jr. (now Jibreel Khazan), Franklin E. McCain, Joseph A. McNeil, and David L. Richmond leave the Woolworth store after the first sit-in on February 1, 1960.

Sneak Peek of “Seizing Justice: The Greensboro 4"

Airing February 11, the Smithsonian Channel documentary tells the story of the lunch counter sit-in that helped to change the country

All Those Hours Inside Could Make You Nearsighted

Just being inside all the time might be creating a population full of nearsighted people

The sister-in-law of a Chinese farm owner in Zambia. China’s growing presence in Africa is documented in the 2010 film “When China Met Africa,” showing on Wednesday at the Freer Gallery.

Events February 12-14: Women in Sustainability, China’s Investment in Africa and an Emancipation Proclamation Theater Performance

This week, hear from a panel of sustainability rock stars, see a documentary on China's presence in Africa and watch a Black History Month celebration

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Photos of Starfish Up Close: What Are You Looking At?

A stunning look at starfish reveal beautiful patterns--but what exactly are those wormy structures, bald patches, and spiky maces?

Shura City

Imagining a Drone-Proof City in the Age of Surveillance

As drones become common as tools of the military and intelligence agencies, how are architects and designers responding?

The Indian Peafowl may need help adapting to climate change.

Can Birds Survive Climate Change?

Predicted increases in torrential rain and severe drought will force birds in Asia to relocate in search of food and viable habitat, a new study finds

Some of the newly discovered pyramids

Archaeologists Found a Mysterious, Dense Cluster of 35 Pyramids in Sudan

The pyramids hail back to the days of the kingdom of Kush, which occurred around 2,000 years ago

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Viva Las Venus: The Jetsons and Wholesome Hedonism

What happens in the year 2063 stays in the year 2063

Can drones be taught the rules of war?

Can Machines Learn Morality?

The debate over drones stirs up questions about whether robots can learn ethical behavior. Will they be able to make moral decisions?

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