Skip to main content
Smithsonian Magazine white logo
Search Shop Newsletters Renew Give a Gift Subscribe
i

Sections

  • Smart News
  • History
  • Science
  • Innovation
  • Arts & Culture
  • Travel
  • At the Smithsonian

More from Smithsonian magazine

  • Newsletters
  • Photo Contest
  • Podcast
  • Videos

Our Partners

  • Smithsonian Store
  • Smithsonian Journeys

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian Voices

While this year’s Arctic sea ice extended further than last year’s, there still wasn’t as much of it as there was only two decades ago. Thinner and younger sea ice in winter and less ice in the summer are two of the many elements of the Arctic’s new reality. (Credit: Patrick Kelley, U.S. Coast Guard. Public domain.)

Climate Change Redefines What 'Normal' Means in the Arctic

As Earth’s climate changes, people around the world are witnessing insidious changes and responding to their new normal.

Abigail Eisenstadt | June 3, 2021

Climate change is causing oceans to warm, which in turn affects fish and fishers. Now, scientists are turning towards management strategies to protect species and the industry. (Claudio Contreras-Koob/International League of Conservation Photographers)

Why Fishes are the Catch of the Day for Climate Research

Fishery management systems can teach scientists how fish can be raised sustainably in wild fisheries.

Emily Leclerc | May 27, 2021

Coral reef health is an important indicator of the ocean’s well-being. Scientists can study corals to learn more about how climate change is affecting the oceans.  (Wise Hok Wai Lum, CC-BY-SA-4.0)

DNA Makes Waves in the Fight to Save Coral Reefs

Environmental DNA could help scientists understand and anticipate the threats coral reefs face.

Emily Leclerc | May 20, 2021

Through research on living and preserved plants, botanists are learning more about how flora has responded to climate change over the past centuries. (USDA photo by Preston Keres)

Why Plants are Seeding Climate Studies

The National Museum of Natural History’s herbarium is helping botanists research climate-driven changes in plants, their biology and their abundance

Abigail Eisenstadt | May 6, 2021
Fossil plants reveal information about the temperature and precipitation of past climates. Scientists use what they learn from fossil plants to inform their research on modern climate change (USNM PAL 606436, Smithsonian)

What Fossil Plants Reveal About Climate Change

Paleobiologists use fossil plants to reconstruct Earth’s past climate and inform climate change research today.

Emily Leclerc | April 29, 2021
Many organisms like coral — and even people — create their own minerals to perform basic life functions. Geologists can study these biominerals to learn more about Earth. (Donald E. Hurlbert, Smithsonian)

How Biominerals are Stepping Stones for Climate Change Research

Studying biominerals can help geologists learn more about how Earth might transform from climate change in the coming decades

Abigail Eisenstadt | April 22, 2021
Categories
  • Administration (1)
  • Anthropology (56)
  • Botany (34)
  • Earth BioGenome Project (1)
  • Education and Outreach (39)
  • Entomology (42)
  • Exhibitions (40)
  • Invertebrate Zoology (51)
  • Laboratories of Analytical Biology (2)
  • Mineral Sciences (52)
  • Office of the Director (4)
  • Paleobiology (77)
  • Smithsonian Marine Station - Fort Pierce (10)
  • Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (1)
  • Specimen Spotlight (13)
  • Vertebrate Zoology (87)
Archive
  • 2016 (1)
  • 2017 (11)
  • 2018 (21)
  • 2019 (32)
  • 2020 (57)
  • 2021 (74)
  • 2022 (55)
  • 2023 (43)
  • 2024 (47)
  • 2025 (17)
Smithsonian Magazine Logo in white on the site footer

Follow Us

Explore

  • Smart News
  • History
  • Science
  • Innovation
  • Arts & Culture
  • Travel
  • At the Smithsonian
  • Photo Contest
  • Podcast
  • Video

Subscription

  • Subscribe
  • Give a gift
  • Renew
  • Manage My Account

Newsletters

  • Sign Up

About

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Content Licensing
  • FAQ
  • Feedback
  • Internships & Employment
  • Member Services
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Staff

Our Partners

  • Smithsonian.com
  • Smithsonian Store
  • Smithsonian Journeys
  • Smithsonian Channel
  • Smithsonian Books
  • Smithsonian Membership

© 2025 Smithsonian Magazine Privacy Statement [5/20/25] Cookie Policy [5/20/25] Terms of Use Advertising Notice Your Privacy Rights Cookie Settings