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.

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Smithsonian Voices

The forest breathes

Above the Tropical Forest Canopy, Sensors Capture the Fluxes of Gases Between the Trees and the Atmosphere

The air moving above the forest carries valuable information about how trees absorb carbon, and what may happen in the future as global temperatures rise

Vanessa Crooks | June 18, 2025

Coral illustrations

Drawing Out the Secrets of Coral Reef Resilience to High Ocean Temperatures

Researchers compared DNA from corals and their symbiotic organisms from two sites along the Pacific coast of Panama to better understand how the different members of the coral holobiont influence their ability to tolerate temperature extremes

Elisabeth King | June 6, 2025

Frog defenders

Bezos Earth Fund Gives $2 Million Grant to Launch Groundbreaking Amphibian Conservation Project Across Latin America

A grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to help save 25 frog species through conservation, rewilding and disease prevention efforts

Vanessa Crooks | March 20, 2025

A7S09160.jpg

Centering Relationships Between People and Place: A Critical Step Towards Improving Science's Contributions to Society

Marine conservation scientists advocate for a cultural shift in academia that fosters deeper connections with places of study and encourages collaboration with local communities to make science more relevant, equitable and meaningful.

Leila Nilipour | June 3, 2024
A7S09048.jpg

Harnessing the Wisdom of Indigenous Communities for Marine Conservation

By engaging directly with community members and embracing indigenous knowledge in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, a NatGeo project led by a Smithsonian scientist highlights the necessity of inclusive approaches to safeguard critical marine ecosystems and culture for future generations.

Leila Nilipour | April 15, 2024
Colorless corals

Why Are There Suddenly So Many Bleached Corals Along the Caribbean Coast of Panama?

A massive coral bleaching event in Panama’s Guna Yala islands along the eastern Caribbean coast signals a major problem with rising ocean temperatures and their long-term effects

Vanessa Crooks | March 7, 2024
Joshua Tewksbury

Why the World Needs a Standard Measure for Counting Carbon

To jumpstart the carbon economy, scientists around the globe need to be aligned in how they analyze the solutions to the climate crisis

Joshua Tewksbury | December 13, 2023
Dr. Ruth Bennett holding Summer Tanager

Drink Coffee, Eat Chocolate, Save Birds!

A new initiative will make it easier for regional coffee and chocolate industries in Latin America to join the global movement to produce sustainable food.

Elisabeth King | October 4, 2023
2_1 fossil genes.jpg

A Turtle Time Capsule: DNA Found in Ancient Shell

Paleontologists discover possible DNA remains in fossil turtle that lived 6 million years ago in Panama, where continents collide

Leila Nilipour | September 28, 2023
Tree Frog

Barro Colorado Island, One Hundred Years of Science and Discoveries

Five Panamanian scientists share a glance at the experience of working in the tropical biologist’s dream, Barro Colorado Island

Vanessa Crooks | August 22, 2023
Four key actions

The Key to Ocean Conservation May Lie with the Tropical Majority

Researchers from the global tropics offer a different perspective on marine conservation, by shifting the focus to the people in the tropical regions

Vanessa Crooks | July 7, 2023
Categories
  • Connections in Nature (22)
  • Life in Deep Time (10)
  • Origins of Species and Societies (10)
  • Social Sciences (6)
  • Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet (32)
  • Tropical Research (38)
Archive
  • 2018 (3)
  • 2019 (3)
  • 2021 (16)
  • 2022 (12)
  • 2023 (10)
  • 2024 (14)
  • 2025 (15)
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