One Slight Genetic Tweak Gave White Tigers Their Pale Coats
Scottish Wildcats Are Interbreeding Themselves Into Extinction
Bears That Have No Fish to Eat Eat Baby Elk Instead
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Editors' Picks
Miniature African Forest Elephants Could Be Extinct in 10 Years
Ivory poachers slashed the population of the small elephants by 62 percent in the past decade--future losses at those rates will doom the species
Jane Goodall Reveals Her Lifelong Fascination With…Plants?
After studying chimpanzees for decades, the celebrated scientist turns her penetrating gaze on another life-form
Brian Skerry Has the World’s Best Job: Ocean Photographer
The freelancer’s new exhibit at the Natural History Museum captures the beauty, and fragility, of sea life
Save the Amazon, Increase Malaria
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
Page 1 of 13
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
The National Zoo's sloth bear cub is now called Hank
May 01, 2013
| By Leah Binkovitz
Agriculture, pollution and hydroelectric development threaten many great rivers. See them while they still flow, via raft, kayak, canoe—or bicycle
May 01, 2013
| By Alastair Bland
This seemingly horrific reproduction strategy may be a way for females to better control which males sire her offspring
April 30, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
Setting aside additional protected areas and creating forest corridors could help this Asian primate bounce back from just 110 individuals
April 26, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
Which penguin swims the fastest? Do penguins have teeth? Why do penguins sneeze? How is penguin poop useful?
April 25, 2013
| By Hannah Waters
If you've entertained ideas of boundless romping in the woods with your pet, you may be in for a serious letdown, as more and more parks have cracked down on man's best friend
April 24, 2013
| By Alastair Bland
Flamingos, shrimp and many other animals use chemical compounds found in their diets to color their exteriors
April 24, 2013
| By Marina Koren
To help anticipate the next outbreak of an emerging infectious disease, scientists scrutinize our closest relatives in the animal kingdom
April 22, 2013
| By Rachel Nuwer
The latest Gallup poll results are in—and Americans love Canada more than any other nation. Here are six ways to experience the greatest scenery of America's neighbor to the north
April 22, 2013
| By Alastair Bland
From a fish's dyed nerves to vapor strewn across the planet, images submitted to a contest at the university offer new perspectives of the natural world
April 19, 2013
| By Megan Gambino
Pigeon-eating catfish, Antarctic trash, and more: A list of surprising, alarming and exciting discoveries about our planet from the past year
April 19, 2013
| By Joseph Stromberg
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