Articles by David Kindy

Believed to be the world's oldest jewelry, the perforated shells date to about 142,000 years ago.

Cool Finds

Are These Snail Shells the World's Oldest Known Beads?

Found in a Moroccan cave, the prehistoric jewelry dates to between 142,000 and 150,000 years ago

Fishers gather rope and nets on a fishing boat in Gaza in May 2021. 

New Research

With Ropes and Nets, Fishing Fleets Contribute Significantly to Microplastic Pollution

Synthetic ropes release 'substantial amount' of plastic particles into the sea during each use, according to new research

The massive 170,000-pound Discovery measures 122 feet long by 58 feet tall with a wingspan of 78 feet.

Following the 1986 and 2003 Shuttle Disasters, 'Discovery' Launched America Back Into Space

This “Champion of the Fleet,” a signature Smithsonian artifact, flew 39 space missions and traveled 150 million miles

With the Phobys app, people with arachnophobia can overcome their fears by viewing a virtual spider. 

New Research

Got Arachnophobia? There's an App for That

Smartphone app helps fearful individuals overcome phobia of spiders

A cluster of western monarch butterflies clings to a branch as it overwinters in California.

The Best Place to Watch Monarch Butterflies Migrate Might Be This Little California Beach Town

Thousands of western monarchs migrate to Pismo Beach each fall to escape winter cold, but climate change threatens the species' survival

Actor James Madio played Easy Company T-4 Frank Perconte.

Based on a True Story

'Band of Brothers' Stars Reflect on the Epic Miniseries' Evolving Legacy

HBO's beloved World War II drama premiered 20 years ago this month

Coffee leaves cultured in laboratory conditions produced a brewed batch that smelled and tasted like the real deal.

Lab-Grown Coffee Passes Taste Test

Finnish researchers brew batch using a bioreactor for a more sustainable, climate-conserving java crop

The device includes a hemofilter made up of silicon semiconductor membranes that remove waste products from blood and a bioreactor containing renal tubule cells that regulate water volume, electrolyte balance and other metabolic functions.

Innovation for Good

This Bioartificial Organ Could One Day Save 'Millions' Living With Kidney Disorders

Scientists won a $650,000 prize for the successful demonstration of the prototype

The colorful critter features fabulously patterned wings, though it rarely uses them. Instead, the bug hops from plant to plant to devour vegetation.

Kansas Boy's Bug Collection Garners Blue Ribbon at State Fair—and Federal Investigation

The student’s science project included a spotted lanternfly, an invasive species, that officials did not yet know reached the state

Six African lions, a Sumatran tiger and two Amur tigers are now being treated for Covid-19. Pictured here is an adult male African lion, Luke.

Lions and Tigers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Test Positive for Covid-19

The public is unlikely to contract the virus from the big cats, officials say

Enticed by a sweet treat, a cow learns to use the "MooLoo," a latrine for cattle, where excrement can be collected. The only question is: can this technique work on a larger scale?

Researchers Potty Trained Young Cows, a Promising Measure to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

One cow pees up to eight gallons a day; training them is easy, and capturing and treating the waste could make a difference

After his recovery, researchers noticed Bruce was using small pebbles to rid his plumage of mites and dirt—a practice that has never been observed before.

Bruce the Parrot Uses Tools to Survive Despite a Broken Beak

Missing his upper beak, an alpine parrot in New Zealand uses small pebbles for preening

The rechargeable and reusable system is controlled by a sensor that analyzes the location of the rider and backpack 1,100 times per second. If it detects a fall, an electric igniter automatically deploys the airbags before the wearer makes impact.

New Backpack Deploys Airbags to Protect Bicycle Riders in Accidents

Electronic sensors detect fall from bike and inflate football-style shoulder pads for upper-torso protection

Over the span of two years, Washington visited all 13 original states (14 if you count Maine, which was then part of Massachusetts), traveling on horseback and by carriage along rutted dirt roads and over rising rivers.

When George Washington Took a Road Trip to Unify the U.S.

Nathaniel Philbrick’s new book follows the first president on his 1789 journey across America

In the televised speech, the president outlined a six-part plan to fight the ongoing pandemic.

Trending Today

Biden Administration Announces Vaccine Mandate That Will Affect More Than 80 Million American Workers

The strict policies have been implemented to combat the resurging Covid-19 pandemic

The dig site at Castel di Guido in Italy featured numerous skeletons of straight-tusked elephants, from which many of the bone tools were produced.

New Research

Hand-Carved, 400,000-Year-Old Bone Tool Used for Smoothing Leather Found in Italy

Found near Rome, the utensil is 100,000 years older than previous finds of this kind

An Israeli study finds that Covid-19 immunity is significantly improved by a third Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination.

New Research

Israeli Study Finds Third Shot Provides Significant Boost in Covid-19 Immunity

Israeli study finds infection rate drops dramatically with third Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination

Once fall armyworms attack, lawns can go from green to brown in less than 48 hours.

Trending Today

Fall Armyworms Are Attacking Lawns and Crops on 'Unprecedented' Scale

These bug battalions turn grass yards from green to brown in less than 48 hours

The snail darter, a small fish that stopped construction of a federal dam project, is no longer threatened with extinction and can come off the Endangered Species List, wildlife officials say.

Trending Today

This Tiny, Endangered Fish Stopped Construction of a Federal Dam in 1975. Now, the Species Has Finally Recovered

The snail darter is no longer in threat of extinction and can be removed from the Endangered Species List

Antibacterial resistance--considered a major health threat--has been discovered on the teeth of wild brown bears in Sweden.

New Research

Antibiotic Resistance Found Deep in Forests of Scandinavia

A DNA analysis of wild brown bear teeth shows that the global health threat has spread to remote areas of Sweden

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