Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Nature

A researcher swabs a frog. 

Scientists in Australia Mapped the Genome of an Endangered Frog Species in an Effort to Save It

A deadly fungus threatens the southern corroboree frog, which needs a lot of help to survive

None

10 Surprising Ways to Explore One of Europe’s Greenest Capital Cities: Zagreb, Croatia

Where nature and culture are woven together

Scientists are working to unravel the best ways to save many types of seeds.

To Safeguard Threatened Plants, Scientists Must Master the Tricky Art of Seed Banking

Researchers are working to unravel the hidden biology of often-persnickety seeds as they age, sleep and awaken

New research suggests that land-based echidnas descended from semi-aquatic mammals. 

A Single Prehistoric Bone Might Rewrite the History of the World’s Strangest Mammals

Analysis of the fossil suggests that the only two egg-laying mammals, platypuses and land-based echidnas, both descended from a semi-aquatic creature

Birds glide above the forests that surround Anacapa Island, California.

What Free Diving in a Kelp Forest Taught Me About an Overlooked but Incredibly Valuable Ecosystem

A photographer shares the epiphanies she has had while chronicling underwater jungles off the California coast

European gray wolves in Germany

Why Have European Wolves Recovered So Much in the Past Decade?

The predators have increased by almost 60 percent on the continent

A variety of marine creatures and unique features can be found in the deep sea off Norway, including the dumbo octopus, colorful anemones and venting chimneys.

As Norway Considers Deep-Sea Mining, a Rich History of Ocean Conservation Decisions May Inform How the Country Acts

In the past, scientists, industry and government have worked together in surprising, tense and fruitful ways

A Schaus’ swallowtail (Papilio aristodemus) rests on a plant.

Why Does This Endangered Butterfly Thrive After Hurricanes?

For Schaus’ swallowtail butterflies, the powerful storms mean clear skies and bright futures

Fossils indicate a variety of marine reptiles swam through ancient seas.

From Massive Eyes to Shark-Like Tails, Seven Amazing Adaptations That Helped Prehistoric Reptiles Thrive at Sea

The creatures cruised the world’s oceans with features we often associate with marine mammals, such as coats of blubber and the ability to birth live young

An Aldabra giant tortoise stands tall. Males can weigh more than 500 pounds.

Thousands of Giant Tortoises Anchor a Thriving Ecosystem on Aldabra, a Remote Atoll in the Indian Ocean

The animals graze the vegetation into a picturesque turf, fertilize the soil with their dung and disperse seeds over large distances

None

Discover Unique Adventures at These Five Minnesota State Parks

From towering pines and fish-filled lakes to iconic wilderness areas, Minnesota’s parks and forests have it all

Brown-headed cowbirds perch together on a branch in southern Arizona. The species is a brood parasite, sneaking their eggs into other birds’ nests in an attempt to steal parental care.

A Revealing Look Into the Surprisingly Tricky Sex Lives of Birds

Even among the most durable migratory bird pairings, sexual exclusivity is rarely part of their relationship

A species of remipede known from the Caicos Islands. The photograph was taken by a member of a multinational team looking for rare species. Remipedes are crustaceans that are close relatives to insects.

You Might Think of Shrimp as Bugs of the Sea. But a Remarkable Discovery Shows the Opposite: Bugs Are Actually Shrimp of the Land

A recent study suggests that insects branched out from crustaceans on the tree of life

Lightning from a summer monsoonal thunderstorm strikes in Tucson just as the sun sets. 

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Photos That Will Remind You to Appreciate the Rain

Take a look at these Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest pictures of this precious precipitation

A record number of sandhill cranes gathered in Nebraska in mid-March during their annual spring migration.

Record-High 736,000 Sandhill Cranes Flock to Nebraska During Spring Migration Peak—With No Signs of Bird Flu, Despite Concerns

After more than 1,500 of the lanky birds died in Indiana, wildlife biologists in Nebraska were on high alert for the virus—but so far, the visiting birds seem happy and healthy

A funnel-web spider patrols its web, waiting to detect the vibration of unsuspecting prey.

Getting Annoyed at Your Noisy Neighbor? Spiders Are, Too. New Research Finds They’ll Build Webs Differently in Loud Conditions

In lab experiments, spiders changed how they constructed their webs in noisy environments, and rural and urban spiders responded differently

The Barry Arm landslide in Alaska’s Prince William Sound

Studying This Slow-Moving Alaskan Landslide May Help Avert Future Disaster

If the landslide at the Barry Arm fjord collapses, its falling ice and rock could generate a devastating 650-foot-high tsunami

Zion National Park in Utah was the second most visited national park in the country with 4,946,592 recreation visits in 2024.

These Were the Most—and Least—Visited National Parks in 2024

America’s national park sites saw a record number of visitors last year. Great Smoky Mountains, Zion and Grand Canyon national parks are perennial favorites among travelers

Before taking samples, students carefully examined the environment.

Nine New Tardigrade Species Discovered Thanks to the Efforts of Danish Schoolchildren

The budding scientists collected the tiny water bears in a massive citizen science project that involved almost 30,000 participants

Individual Antarctic krill are small, but the animals live in gigantic groups that can be seen from space.

Tiny Antarctic Krill Benefit the Planet in Big Ways, but Face a Barrage of Threats

The bountiful creatures sequester carbon and are a vital food source for marine predators, but their future is uncertain

Page 7 of 53