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Stories from Sarah Kuta

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

Grizzlies are starting to emerge in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. They're looking for the carcasses of animals that died over the winter.

Grizzly Bears Are Emerging From Their Dens in Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Parks

Adult males are waking up from their winter hibernation—and they’re on the hunt for food

Volunteers with the Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute in Santa Barbara, California, rescue a sick sea lion that's likely suffering from domoic acid poisoning.

Sea Lion Bites Surfer Amid One of the Worst Outbreaks of Domoic Acid Poisoning That California Wildlife Rescuers Can Remember

Sea lions, dolphins and birds are sick and dying because of a toxic algae bloom in Southern California—and animal care organizations are overwhelmed by the scale

Researchers found evidence of a ceremonial platform next to the Farley Moor standing stone, which measures roughly 6.5 feet tall.

3,700-Year-Old Bronze Age Stone Circle Discovered in an English Forest

An amateur archaeologist recently encouraged researchers to take another look at the Farley Moor standing stone, which was once part of a bigger ceremonial site

Researchers spent three months excavating the site.

Treasure Trove of 800 ‘Exceptional’ Iron Age Artifacts Discovered in England

The collection, which dates to the first century C.E., includes items ranging from elaborately decorated horse harnesses to ornate cauldrons

In 2023, Murphy was incubating a rock when an orphaned eaglet arrived at the sanctuary in need of some fatherly love and care.

Murphy, the Beloved Bald Eagle ‘Foster Dad’ Who Went Viral for Incubating a Rock, Has Died Following Storms in Missouri

The 33-year-old raptor had parented two orphaned chicks since gaining international attention for sitting on a rock in 2023

A busy street in Helsinki, Finland

These Are the 20 Happiest Countries in the World

Finland took the top spot in this year’s World Happiness Report, while the United States dropped to its lowest ranking yet

The Galápagos yellow warbler is a genetically distinct subspecies of the yellow warbler, which might be familiar to residents of the United States.

Traffic Noise May Be Making These Bright Yellow Birds More Aggressive in the Galápagos Islands, Study Suggests

Male Galápagos yellow warblers appear to be shifting their behavior and adjusting their calls in response to the din of passing vehicles

This 12th-century manuscript includes a self-portrait of a female scribe named Guda.

Women Played a More Important Role in Producing Medieval Manuscripts Than Previously Thought

New research suggests that women were the scribes of at least 1.1 percent of manuscripts in the Latin West between 400 and 1500 C.E.

A giant phantom jellyfish floats in the Bellingshausen Sea off Antarctica.

A Chicago-Sized Iceberg Broke Off From Antarctica, Revealing a Hidden Ecosystem Never Seen Before

When the A-84 iceberg calved in January, it unveiled a 209-square-mile swath of seafloor. Nearby scientists rushed to the scene for the “unprecedented” look below

The three-inch Flamin' Hot Cheeto was sold in a custom case with a custom Cheetozard Pokémon card.

This Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Is Shaped Like a Pokémon Charizard. It Just Sold for Nearly $90,000 at Auction

The “Cheetozard” resembles an orange dragon-like figure from the popular Japanese franchise. Its seller had purchased it on eBay for $350 in 2019

"Mr. Blobby" is a blobfish discovered in 2003 off the coast of New Zealand. The preserved specimen is now housed at the Australian Museum in Sydney.

Voters Crown the ‘World’s Ugliest Animal’ as New Zealand’s Fish of the Year

The blobfish is specially adapted to life in the deep ocean, but it looks like a shapeless blob when brought to the surface. It beat out the other candidates with its “unconventional beauty”

Text from ancient Greek and Roman writers describes how statues of deities—including Artemis, the Greek goddess of wild animals—were anointed with perfumes.

Ancient Greek and Roman Statues Were Not Only Beautiful, but Smelled Nice, Too

New research suggests that sculptures were perfumed with sweet-smelling fragrances such as rose and beeswax

The fish feasted on phantom midge larvae, insects and bivalves before they died.

Paleontologists Stumble Across 15-Million-Year-Old Fish Fossils That Are So Well Preserved, Their Last Meals Are Intact

Discovered in Australia, the fossils represent a new species that lived during the Miocene epoch and highlight how iron-rich rock can protect specimens over time

Developed by Australian biomedical engineer Daniel Timms, the titanium heart device is being used as a stopgap until patients can undergo transplant surgery with a donor heart.

Australian Man Makes History by Living With a Titanium Heart for More Than 100 Days Before Receiving a Transplant

The man, who was in his 40s and suffering from severe heart failure, was also the first person to leave the hospital with a titanium heart. He is recovering well after getting a new, donor heart

The Art Institute of Chicago is returning the 12th-century sculpture Buddha Sheltered by the Serpent King Muchalinda to Nepal.

The Art Institute of Chicago Is Returning a 12th-Century Buddha Sculpture to Nepal

Museum officials say they are voluntarily repatriating the object after learning that it had been stolen from Guita Bahi in the Kathmandu Valley

When the motorist stopped to take a closer look at the kittens, one of them ran under his truck.

Cougar Cubs Spotted in Michigan for the First Time in More Than a Century

Two kittens, believed to be between 7 and 9 weeks old, were photographed by a motorist in the western Upper Peninsula

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

Researchers carefuly wrapped the tusk in strips of plaster-covered burlap for protection.

A Hunter Was Out Looking for Deer in West Texas. He Found a Rare Mammoth Tusk Instead

Discovered in the drainage area of a creek bed, the tusk was initially thought to be “just an old stump”

Researchers discovered the facial fragments in a cave in northern Spain.

Researchers Unearth Oldest Known Human Facial Bones Ever Found in Western Europe

The upper jawbone and partial cheek bone represent a mysterious unknown species that lived in present-day Spain between 1.1 million and 1.4 million years ago, according to a new study

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