No, Legalizing Rhino Horn Probably Won’t Save Animals from Poaching
One in 10 Adopted Pets is Lost or Returned After Six Months
At Least 400,000 Hungry Seabirds Drown in Fishing Nets Each Year
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Editors' Picks
Why the Endangered Species Act Is Broken, and How to Fix It
On the landmark species-saving law’s 40th anniversary, environmental historian Peter Alagona explains why it doesn’t quite work, and offers a path toward recovery
How Does Science Help Pandas Make More Panda Babies?
A behind-the-scenes look at the ways the National Zoo assists Washington's most famous sexually frustrated bear couple
Baby Sand Tiger Sharks Devour Their Siblings While Still in the Womb
This seemingly horrific reproduction strategy may be a way for females to better control which males sire her offspring
Events June 18-20: Native American Dolls, Animal Feedings and “Cujo”
This weekend, learn about Native American dolls, witness animal feedings at the National Zoo and watch canine horror flick "Cujo"
June 17, 2013
| By Colleen Connolly
Page 1 of 13
Before hatching, a baby turtle can deliberately move between warm and cool patches within its egg--a behavior that may help determine its gender
June 12, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Scientists figured the answers to this and other pressing questions once and for all
June 11, 2013
| By Joseph Stromberg
Beachgoers despise the stinging animals, but photographer Aaron Ansarov finds surreal beauty in them
June 10, 2013
| By Megan Gambino
Special patches of trees shield deer from harsh winter weather, but deer urine stimulates growth of competitive plants in those havens
June 10, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
Since the last World Oceans Day, we've documented trash in the deep sea, sea snails with acid-weakened shells, high ocean temperatures and more
June 07, 2013
| By Emily Frost
Comparing the body language of baby chimps, bonobos and humans suggests that gesticulation came first in the evolution of speaking
June 06, 2013
| By Marina Koren
Developing bird embryos do have penis precursors, it turns out, but a genetic signal causes the penis cells to die off during gestation
June 06, 2013
| By Joseph Stromberg
Contrary to memes circulating online, lobsters can't live forever—but they do keep growing and growing until they die
June 03, 2013
| By Marina Koren
A century after toucans and toucanets disappeared from patches of Brazilian jungle, trees have evolved to have smaller, weaker seeds
May 30, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
Mark Fischer, a software developer in California, turns data from recordings of whales, dolphins and birds into psychedelic art
May 30, 2013
| By Megan Gambino
People in Brazil living close to forests are 25 times more likely to catch malaria than those living near places where all the trees have been cut down, new research shows
May 23, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
She arrives at the National Zoo today from Baton Rouge
May 22, 2013
| By Paul Bisceglio
From "where there's smoke, there's fire" to "hard as nails," several sayings just don't pass scientific scrutiny
May 22, 2013
| By Mohi Kumar
In a new exhibition, the university showcases 43 images rooted in scientific research that force viewers to contemplate the definition of art
May 21, 2013
| By Megan Gambino
Marine species threatened with extinction aren't just whales, seals and turtles--they include fish, corals, mollusks, birds, and a lone seagrass
May 17, 2013
| By Emily Frost
On the landmark species-saving law’s 40th anniversary, environmental historian Peter Alagona explains why it doesn’t quite work, and offers a path toward recovery
May 16, 2013
| By Matt Kettmann
In the lab, the presence of earthworms can reduce the number of leaves damaged by slugs by 60 percent, a new study finds
May 16, 2013
| By Mohi Kumar
These delicate and stunning creatures are offering Smithsonian scientists a warning sign for the world's waters turning more acidic
May 14, 2013
| By Hannah Waters
Smithsonian scientists are gathering wildlife tissue samples from around the world to build the largest museum-based repository of such specimens
June 2013
| By Joseph Stromberg
A gator can replace all of its teeth up to 50 times--learning what triggers these new teeth to grow may someday keep us from needing dentures
May 13, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
The newborn seal pups possess the most well-developed brains compared to other mammals, but that advantage comes with a cost
May 09, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
A behind-the-scenes look at the ways the National Zoo assists Washington's most famous sexually frustrated bear couple
May 08, 2013
| By Paul Bisceglio
With their new yard baby-proofed, the two cubs took the outside for a day in the rain before their public debut Saturday
May 07, 2013
| By Leah Binkovitz
A new Asian Elephant will soon arrive at the National Zoo, on loan from the Baton Rogue Zoo
May 03, 2013
| By Paul Bisceglio
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