- Explore more »
How to Cook Meals for the 2000 Animals at the National Zoo
Secretary Clough explains how the Zoo’s chefs prepare food for 400 different species
June 2013 |
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Why Fire Makes Us Human
Cooking may be more than just a part of your daily routine, it may be what made your brain as powerful as it is
June 2013 |
By Jerry Adler
Once in a Blue Moon and Other Idioms That Don’t Make Scientific Sense
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
Bears That Have No Fish to Eat Eat Baby Elk Instead
The illegal introduction of lake trout in Yellowstone's lakes is having wide-reaching consequences
May 21, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Navy Dolphins Turn Up a Rare 19th-Century Torpedo
Called a Howell torpedo, the old military relic was a marvel in its day, and only 50 were ever made
May 21, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Princeton University Celebrates the Art of Science
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
How Puking Could Save the Endangered Marbled Murrelet
For the marbled murrelet the conservation plan is a little unusual: making their predators vomit
May 21, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Lizards Appear to Be Hardier Astronauts Than Mice
Russian scientists say that this experiment represents that longest period animals have ever spent alone in space and been recovered alive
May 20, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Wealthy Economic Liberals Actually Are Wimps
In the animal kingdom, larger males are likewise prone to hoard resources and defend larger territories than weaker competitors
May 20, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Invasive Crazy Ants Are Eating Up Invasive Fire Ants in the South
How ecosystems will function if fire ants suddenly disappear and are replaced by crazy ants remains an open but worrying question
May 17, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Solving Climbing’s Diversity Problem
Seventy-eight percent of the Americans who took part in activities outdoors last year were white
May 17, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Doctors Used to Use Live African Frogs As Pregnancy Tests
Now, those former test subjects may be spreading the deadly amphibian chytrid fungus around the world
May 16, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
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
May 16, 2013 |
By Matt Kettmann
Peeping in on the Process of Turning Caterpillar to Butterfly
Previously, researchers hoping to learn about metamorphosis had to dissect the chrysalis, which killed the developing insect inside
May 15, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Amazing Sea Butterflies Are the Ocean’s Canary in the Coal Mine
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
Solving an Alligator Mystery May Help Humans Regrow Lost Teeth
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
There Are Just Three Males of This Endangered Fish Left, And the London Zoo Is on a Global Hunt to Find a Lady
There are just three fish of this species left in the world, and they're all males.
May 10, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
There Should Be an Endangered Species List for Ecosystems, Too
Listing an ecosystem or animal as endangered does not save it from extinction, but it can bring attention and inspire protection
May 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Baby Weddell Seals Have the Most Adult-Like Brains in the Animal Kingdom
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
The Deep Seafloor Turns Out to Be a Treasure Trove for Ancient DNA
DNA preserved in the the ocean floor could provide a unique view of ancient animals that aren't represented in the fossil record
May 08, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
