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The Galapagos is no place for a mammal. But it's a great place to be a reptile. Land animals had to make the trip here via rafts of vegetation that broke loose from the mainland, which isn't so bad if you have scaly skin, are cold-blooded and can go for a long time without fresh water. A few rodents managed to colonize the islands, and there are some native bats, but reptiles rule. One of the weirdest reptiles is the marine iguana, the world's only seagoing lizard. It basks on lava rocks to warm up in the morning, then swims around in the surf eating seaweed. They get to be four feet long or more and look for all the world like Godzilla. Like other Galapagos creatures, they aren't particularly bothered by humans gawking at them.

A Naturalist’s Pilgrimage to the Galapagos

Smithsonian’s Laura Helmuth vacationed in the Galapagos Islands and returned with even more respect for Charles Darwin

Domestic cats are the most popular pet in America, numbering some 80 million.

Cats as Pets and Predators

Jake Page explores the evolution and enigmatic ways of the most popular pet in America — the house cat

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Orchids Star In Darwin’s Garden

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Crabs Nab Grand Prize in Art Competition

Brachiosaurus

Blog Carnival, Edition #4: Texas Troubles, Big Dinosaurs, and a Danny McBride Interview

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Obama Campaign Office Acquired by NMAAHC

The Falls Church, Virginia, office provides record of a historic victory, now part of the collections

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Vote for Hubble’s Next Target

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The Best and Worst of Food World’s Obama Puns

Barbara Ehrenreich, author of "Up Close at Carnival."

Barbara Ehrenreich on “Up Close at Carnival”

Barbara Ehrenreich on “Up Close at Carnival”

New technology, with all of its conveniences, has created a new society called Elsewhere, U.S.A., according to professor Dalton Conley.

The Journey to Elsewhere, U.S.A.

A professor explains how new technology drastically altered the modern American family unit

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Sugar-coated Mercury Contamination

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Battle of the Giant Theropods

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Our Illustrated Alphabet

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Don’t Drink the Water

The AP reported earlier this week that the Indian pharmaceutical industry is spewing a drug soup into the waters of a town near Hyderabad

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Pandas Play in the Snow

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Official Smithsonian Word on Michelle Obama’s Inaugural Gown

When will the Smithsonian receive and display Michelle Obama’s inaugural dress?

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Around the Web: Name That Fish

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Lincoln vs. Darwin (Part 4 of 4)

On this blog, several of the staff of Smithsonian magazine have been debating who was more important, Abraham Lincoln or Charles Darwin

After coming within 50 feet of several wolves, Frank Clifford understands why 100,000 people say they come to Yellowstone just to see wolves.

Frank Clifford on “Howling Success”

Philip B. Kunhardt III, author of Lincoln's Contested Legacy.

Philip Kunhardt on “Lincoln’s Contested Legacy”

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