Nature
Nature, or the natural world, encompasses the behavior and physiology of animals, plants and minerals
Pitcher Plants Entice Ants With a Water Slide of Death
A Venezuelan pitcher plant's specially adapted, wettable hairs counter the sticky pads and little claws on insect feet and are especially deadly for ants
December 19, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
How to Solve Human Evolution’s Greatest Hoax
One hundred years after Piltdown Man was "discovered," scientists are still investigating how and why the fossil find was faked
December 19, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Stop Texting While You’re Walking
Texting while walking is pretty obviously a bad idea - but just how bad is it?
December 19, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Eastern Cougar ‘Ghost Cat’ Declared Extinct
The eastern cougar is extinct. But did it ever exist in the first place?
December 18, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Ten Best Ocean Stories of 2012
From deep-sea squid habits to vanishing coral reefs, here are the ocean stories we couldn’t stop talking about this year.
December 18, 2012 |
By Hannah Waters
Crayfish Have Been Secretly Spreading a Deadly Frog Epidemic
The more we can learn about how chytrid fungus spreads and attacks, the better chances we have at saving the world's amphibians
December 18, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Scientific Reason Why Reindeer Have Red Noses
Some reindeer really do have red noses, a result of densely packed blood vessels near the skin's surface
December 18, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
A Brand New Bee Was Just Named After Sheldon From ‘The Big Bang Theory’
Andre Nemesio and his team just named a brand new orchid bee Euglossa bazinga, after the catch phrase used by Sheldon Cooper on the television show, The Big Bang
December 17, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Rasputin Was Murdered Today in 1916
It's still a mystery who exactly orchestrated and carried out the deed
December 17, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Tree Climbers, Wood Eaters, and More: The Top 10 Human Evolution Discoveries of 2012
This year's hominid finds illuminate the great diversity and adaptability of our ancient relatives
December 17, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
There’s an Explanation for What’s Killing Thousands of Squid in California
For residents of the central California coast there might finally be an explanation for why thousands of dead squid have littered their beaches this week
December 17, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Even Mummy Doctors Forgot Tools in Their Patients Sometimes
Researchers examining the brains of mummies have found a small tool that was used during embalming, left behind after the procedure
December 17, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Persistence of Memory in Mice
A new study shows that female mice who smell pheromones in potential mates' urine will constantly return to the site of exposure even weeks later
December 13, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Hunt for African Wildlife From Your Computer
A new citizen science project lets you in to the beautiful world of Serengeti National Park
December 12, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Top 7 Human Evolution Discoveries From South Africa
The search for humans' most ancient ancestors began in South Africa, where some of paleoanthropology's most iconic fossils have been found
December 12, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Flower Power, Redefined
In a new book, Andrew Zuckerman embraces minimalism, capturing 150 colorful blooms on white backdrops
December 12, 2012 |
By Ryan Reed
As the World Warms, the Future of Skiing Looks Bleak
Climate change is delivering serious wounds to the winter sport all over the globe
December 11, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Smithsonian Curators Offer Up a Holiday Gift Guide for History Lovers
The best of history reads from Lincoln's true thoughts on slavery, to the White House dinner that shocked a nation, to California's hip-hop scene
December 11, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Beyond the Childhood Dinosaur Phase: Why Dinosaurs Should Matter to Everyone
Dinosaurs can help us unlock essential secrets about the history of life on Earth
December 11, 2012 |
By Brian Switek
The Most Exclusive Coffee in the World Is Harvested From Elephant Poo
Two cups of the so-called Black Ivory coffee cost around $50, while a pound of the digested beans total a tidy $500
December 11, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
