/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/accounts/headshot/Sarah-Zielinski-240.jpg)
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/b3/f0/b3f0c9e2-cbd8-4f97-bdc2-f74733bebe6b/deathstar1-swe.png)
Could the Death Star Destroy a Planet?
Students in England concluded that the Star Wars space station could easily have destroyed an Earth-like planet
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20120110100144enriched_uranium_web.jpg)
What Is Enriched Uranium?
Naturally occurring uranium doesn't have enough of the fissile isotope U-235 to set off a nuclear reaction, but scientists found ways to increase the stuff
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20120109092105maunaloa_web.jpg)
The Tallest Mountains in the Solar System
Mount Everest is a just a peewee when compared with such giants as Olympus Mons on Mars
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20120106095119octopus_and_jawfish__web.jpg)
Fish Mimics Fish-Mimicking Octopus
The black-marble jawfish takes advantage of its coloring to blend in with an octopus and stay safe from predators
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20120105103128chilies.jpg)
Why Not All Chili Peppers Are Hot
Being spicy helps a chili plant protect its fruit from fungal rot, but it has a downside in dry conditions
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/d0/74/d074bf4a-6fa2-4e41-bd38-8ddc33936f97/an-elephant-running-in-the-masai-mara-kenya.jpg)
14 Fun Facts About Elephants
#5: Cartoons lie—elephants don't like peanuts
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/evotourism-Jurassic-Coast-England-631.jpg)
Evolution World Tour: Jurassic Coast, England
The best opportunity to play paleontologist is on the southern coast of England, a site rich with marine reptile fossils
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111230095122fireworks_blue.jpg)
Birds Have No Reason to Like Fireworks
New Year's Eve fireworks can badly startle and disorient birds
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111229101112white_rhino.jpg)
Ten Great Science Stories You Might Have Missed
From zebras in the Kalahari to satellites pointed at the Sun, the magazine has covered a host of interesting science topics this year
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111228092222feral-cat.jpg)
Top Ten Science Blog Posts of 2011
Cats, zombies, earthquakes, chickens--our readers have an eclectic taste
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111227095107echidna_web.jpg)
What In The World Is An Echidna?
This spiky monotreme can be found in Australia and New Guinea
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111223094109s106_stars_web.jpg)
A Holiday Angel Among the Stars
The star-forming region Sharpless 2-106 bears a certain resemblance, particularly during this time of year
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111222092116christmas_card_web.jpg)
That Moon On Your Christmas Card
An astronomer finds that depictions of the Moon on Christmas cards, wrapping paper and books is often wrong
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111221095114reindeer_web.jpg)
How Rudolph Keeps A Cool Head
Reindeer have several strategies for releasing heat when they get too hot
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111220095112EXB_EVOLUTION_cavalier_web.jpg)
Evolution, A Book That Turns Science Into Art
See examples of these beautiful photographs of animal skeletons in our image gallery
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111219092104aspen_colorado_web.jpg)
What Was Killing the Aspens?
Scientists determine it was lack of water, not food, that was responsible for sudden aspen decline
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111216102104soho_1630_web.jpg)
A Comet’s Close Call
Scientists predicted that Comet Lovejoy would collide with the Sun
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111215094112STRInews-Nephila_web.jpg)
Some Spiders Have Brains in Their Legs
Just one more reason it's not nice to pull the appendages off of creepy crawlies
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111214093014wren_library_cambridge_web.jpg)
Read Sir Isaac Newton’s Works Online
Cambridge University is digitizing its collection of works by Newton and other revolutionary scientists of the past
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/20111213100014calendar_giraffes_web.jpg)
Should You Buy a Wildlife Calendar?
Not all photographers are ethical about where they shoot their photos
Page 8 of 44