Nature
Nature, or the natural world, encompasses the behavior and physiology of animals, plants and minerals
One of Napoleon’s Generals Was More Interested in Gathering Beetles Than Fighting at Waterloo
When he died in 1845, Count Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean owned the largest personal beetle collection in the world
April 04, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Photos: Scenes From Life Under the Sea
Three decades in and photojournalist Brian Skerry is still getting acquainted with the ocean's many characters
April 04, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
What Should Be Done With Yachak, the Cattle-Killing Bear of the Andes
Conservationists and ranchers in Ecuador struggle to make peace while an elusive spectacled bear feasts on valuable livestock
April 04, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
19th Century Shark Tooth Weapons Reveal A Reef’s Missing Shark Species
Lashed to swords and spears from the Pacific's Gilbert Islands are teeth from two shark species that were never known to have swam in the area
April 03, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
This Giant New Tarantula Has an Eight-Inch Leg Span
Say hello to Peocilotheria rajaei, Sri Lanka's most recently discovered giant spider.
April 03, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
There’s No Such Thing as a ‘Living Fossil’
Though Darwin coined the term 'living fossil,' if he were around today he'd probably agree that it's time to retire it
April 03, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Watch How Fast the Insane Snout of the Star-Nosed Mole Can Move
To many, the star nosed mole is alternatively horrifying and fascinating, but have you ever seen the little rodent's face in action?
April 02, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
What Makes Rain Smell So Good?
A mixture of plant oils, bacterial spores and ozone is responsible for the powerful scent of fresh rain
April 02, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Now Poachers Are Sawing Off Elephant Tusks in Museums
A plague of rhino horn and elephant tusk thefts to feed the wildlife black market continues in museums across Europe
April 02, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Why Geckos Don’t Slip Off Wet Jungle Leaves or Hotel Ceilings
A surface's ability to attract and repel water heavily influences the degree to which a gecko can cling overhead, new research shows
April 01, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Joys and Dangers of Exploring Africa on the Back of an Elephant
Renowned travel writer Paul Theroux journeys through Botswana’s spectacular, wildlife-rich wetlands
April 2013 |
By Paul Theroux
How Much Water Is in a Cloud and More Questions From Our Readers
Imaginary numbers, Roy Lichtenstein and much much more
April 2013 |
By Smithsonian magazine
The Greening of the Arctic is Underway
As the climate changes, trees and shrubs are poised to take over tundra and alter the Arctic's ecosystems
March 31, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Public for the First Time: A Last Letter from Dying Antarctic Explorer Captain Scott
In private hands for the past hundred years, Captain Scott's final letter is revealed
March 29, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Sugar Cube-Sized Robotic Ants Mimic Real Foraging Behavior
Researchers use tiny robots to study how ants navigate a labyrinth of networks, from the nest to the food and back again
March 28, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
Events March 29-31: Parasitic Wasps, Joseph Henry and Victorian Portraits
This weekend, learn about wasps that live inside their prey, meet Smithsonian's first secretary from 1846 and see living rooms from 150 years ago
March 28, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
A Survey of the 161 Bacterial Families That Live on Your Fruits and Veggies
The first-ever sequencing of the "produce microbiome" reveals that grapes, peaches and sprouts host the largest diversity of harmless bacteria
March 27, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Butterflies, Baseball and Blossoms: Tours for Your Spring Vacation
Two custom tours come fully loaded with insider information, digital postcards and step-by-step directions
March 27, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
