Nature
Nature, or the natural world, encompasses the behavior and physiology of animals, plants and minerals
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
How to Cook Meals for the 2,000 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
The Robot Revolution Is for the Birds
Look up for robotic ravens and cyborg pigeons
May 24, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
One Slight Genetic Tweak Gave White Tigers Their Pale Coats
That same gene change that gives white tigers their snowy coat also affects some fish, chickens, horses and even European humans
May 24, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Discovered: The Molecule Responsible for Itchiness
A neurotransmitter called Nppb, we now know, plays a vital role in the sensation of an itch—and removing it can prevent itchiness entirely
May 23, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
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
Scottish Wildcats Are Interbreeding Themselves Into Extinction
One researcher thinks Scottish wildcats could be gone within two years thanks to hybridization with domestic house cats
May 23, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Doctors Use a Dissolvable 3D-Printed Tracheal Splint to Save a Baby’s Life
An infant's collapsing airway now has a device holding it open; as his tissue strengthens, the splint will be absorbed into his body
May 22, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
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
Heinrich Rohrer, Father of Nanotechnology, Dies at 79
Heinrich Rohrer, winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics, passed away last week at the age of 79
May 22, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
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
Scientists Finally Pinpoint the Pathogen That Caused the Irish Potato Famine
DNA analysis of 166-year-old potato plant leaves has revealed the disease strain that caused the starvation of millions
May 21, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
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
André Fenton
New York University Neuroscientist, Biomedical Engineer & Entrepreneur
May 20, 2013 |
By Smithsonian Magazine's "Future Is Here" Conference
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
The Past, Present, and Future of the Cuckoo Clock
From Orson Welles to Twitter, a look into the classic time-telling relic from your grandparents' attic
May 17, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
