Natural Sciences
The Ten Best Science Books of 2020
New titles explore the mysterious lives of eels, the science of fear and our connections to the stars
Two Darwin Notebooks Quietly Went Missing 20 Years Ago. Were They Stolen?
Staff at Cambridge University Libraries previously assumed that the papers had simply been misplaced in the vast collections
'Jeopardy!' Champion Ken Jennings on Lessons Learned From Alexander von Humboldt
“I’ll take Alexander von Humboldt for $500, Alex”
How to Weigh a Dinosaur
A new study reveals the proper technique to weigh these extinct creatures
British Museum Moves Bust of Founder, Who Profited From Slavery
The London institution, which reopened this week, is reckoning with its colonialist history in the wake of global protests against racism
Is There a New Baby Panda Due at the National Zoo?
An ultrasound today revealed that the National Zoo's resident giant panda, Mei Xiang, could be expecting
Seabird Poop Is Worth More Than $1 Billion Annually
Scientists put a price tag on guano's global benefits, which range from agricultural fertilizer to coral reef enricher
Ancient Rome's Finest Glass Was Actually Made in Egypt
Researchers used chemical analysis to determine the origins of the empire's crystal-clear glass
A Bird Named for a Confederate General Sparks Calls for Change
McCown’s longspur has launched a renewed reckoning over the troubling histories reflected in taxonomy
Elusive, Ultra-Black Fish Are Cloaked to Survive in the Deep Ocean
Special pigment cells in deep-sea fish may provide clues to cancer treatment and stealthy new materials
Will COVID-19 Spell the End of Outdoor and Environmental Education?
The pandemic has been devastating to the field, according to a recent survey
Scientists Propose a New Name for Nature in the Time of COVID-19: The 'Anthropause'
Human travel came to a halt during COVID-19, and scientists argue that this worldwide 'pause' presents a rare opportunity to study our impact on animals
Algae Blooms Turn Antarctica’s Ice Green
Scientists predict that the organisms' presence will increase as global temperatures increase
The Final Home of Charles Darwin’s HMS Beagle Gets Protected Status
The naturalist famously conducted the research that led to the "Origin of Species" on board the ship
The Complicated Legacy of Herbert Spencer, the Man Who Coined 'Survival of the Fittest'
Spencer's ideas laid the groundwork for social Darwinism, but scholars say there was much more to the Victorian Age thinker than that
New Study Gives a More Complex Picture of Insect Declines
The researchers gathered data from 166 surveys of insect abundance around the world, mostly conducted since the 1980s
A Read-Along With Michelle Obama and Other Livestream Learning Opportunities
Schools are shuttered, but kids can dance with New York's Ballet Hispánico and listen to a story from a certain former First Lady
LIVE NOW: Watch the Smithsonian's Earth Optimism Digital Summit
The two-day virtual event will bring scientists and many other experts to highlight success stories in conservation
Fifty Things We’ve Learned About the Earth Since the First Earth Day
On April 22, 1970, Americans pledged environmental action for the planet. Here’s what scientists and we, the global community, have done since
Poo-Sniffing Peeps, Miss Ameripeep and More Emerge Victorious in #PeepYourScience 2020 Competition
Blending marshmallows with scientific rigor, the contest offers levity during a difficult time
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