Biology
Meet the New Species
From old-world primates to patch-nosed salamanders, new creatures are being discovered every day
August 2010 |
By Richard Conniff
The Story of Bartram's Garden
Outside of Philadelphia, America's first botanical garden once supplied seeds to Founding Fathers and continues to inspire plant-lovers today
April 13, 2010 |
By Robin T. Reid
Q and A: Jane Lubchenco
The marine ecologist and administrator of NOAA discusses restoring the bounty of the world's oceans
April 2010 |
By Erica R. Hendry
The Great British Tea Heist
Botanist Robert Fortune traveled to China and stole trade secrets of the tea industry, discovering a fraud in the process
March 09, 2010 |
By Sarah Rose
How Sleepy Are Sloths and Other Lessons Learned
Smithsonian scientists use radio technology to track animals in an island jungle in the middle of the Panama Canal
February 03, 2010 |
By Megan Gambino
The Venus Flytrap's Lethal Allure
Native only to the Carolinas, the carnivorous plant that draws unwitting insects to its spiky maw now faces dangers of its own
February 2010 |
By Abigail Tucker
Henrietta Lacks’ ‘Immortal’ Cells
Journalist Rebecca Skloot’s new book investigates how a poor black tobacco farmer had a groundbreaking impact on modern medicine
January 22, 2010 |
By Sarah Zielinski
The Truth About Lions
The world's foremost lion expert reveals the brutal, secret world of the king of beasts
January 2010 |
By Abigail Tucker
Evolution in the Deepest River in the World
New species are born in the turbulence of the Congo River
November 03, 2009 |
By Kyle Dickman
Invasion of the Longhorn Beetles
In Worcester, Massachusetts, authorities are battling an invasive insect that is poised to devastate the forests of New England
November 2009 |
By Peter Alsop
Denver’s Street-Smart Prairie Dogs
Researchers explore why members of one species are thriving in urban areas while rural populations dwindle
October 02, 2009 |
By Morgan E. Heim
Cracking the DNA Code
On a small island near Washington, D.C., Smithsonian researchers have found a genetic code that could revolutionize botany
August 2009 |
By Megan Gambino
The Cahaba: A River of Riches
An unsung Alabama waterway is one of the most biologically diverse places in the nation, home to rare flora and fauna
August 2009 |
By Michelle Nijhuis
The Culture of Being Rude
A new biological theory states that cultural behavior is not just a regional quirk, but a defense against the spread of disease
August 03, 2009 |
By Rob Dunn
High Hopes for a New Kind of Gene
Scientists believe that microRNA may lead to breakthroughs in diagnosing and treating cancer
July 2009 |
By Sylvia Pagán Westphal
Day 1: Seeing Kenya from the Sky
Despite many travel delays, Smithsonian Secretary Clough arrives in Kenya ready to study the African wildlife at the Mpala Ranch
June 16, 2009 |
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Penguin Dispatch 1: Arriving in Punta Tombo, Argentina
The winter residents of Punta Tombo fly in steadily over the course of a few days, eventually swarming the small land mass
June 04, 2009 |
By Eric Wagner
Penguin Dispatch 2: The Scientists of Punta Tombo
For over 25 years, researcher Dee Boersma has been coming with students in tow to Punta Tombo to study the penguins
June 04, 2009 |
By Eric Wagner
Penguin Dispatch 3: Penguin Wrangling
Handling and tagging a penguin can be no easy task, leaving oneself open to a vicious and potentially dangerous beak attack
June 04, 2009 |
By Eric Wagner
Penguin Dispatch 4: How to Study a Penguin Egg
Females guard their eggs closely, so scientists must tread carefully when temporarily extracting the eggs for research
June 04, 2009 |
By Eric Wagner
