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Science / Our Planet

An Iraqi girl stands on former marshland, drained in the 1990s because of politically motivated water policies.

Is a Lack of Water to Blame for the Conflict in Syria?

A 2006 drought pushed Syrian farmers to migrate to urban centers, setting the stage for massive uprisings

Members of the Lake Whillans drill team lived in yellow tents studding the Antarctic landscape.

Digging for the Secrets Beneath Antarctica

Scientists have found life in the depths beneath the ice

Global sea levels were as much as 400 feet lower than today.

Never Heard of Doggerland? Blame Climate Change From Millennia Ago

Rising waters have forced populations to relocate since the dawn of early man

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When Large Birds Disappear, Rainforests Suffer

A century after toucans and toucanets disappeared from patches of Brazilian jungle, trees have evolved to have smaller, weaker seeds

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Plants Frozen Under a Glacier for 400 Years Can Come Back to Life

Long-buried mosses recently exposed in the wake of a Canadian glacier’s retreat are sprouting new growth, a study shows

Much about lightning remains a mystery.

8 Things We’ve Learned Lately About Thunder and Lightning

Such as, storms can make your head hurt. And we should expect more turbulence on transatlantic flights

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Save the Amazon, Increase Malaria

People in Brazil living close to forests are 25 times more likely to catch malaria than those living near places where all the trees have been cut down

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Scientists Finally Pinpoint the Pathogen That Caused the Irish Potato Famine

DNA analysis of 166-year-old potato plant leaves has revealed the disease strain that caused the starvation of millions

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Earth & Sky Photo Contest Winners 2013

These award-winning photos, chosen from submissions by photographers in 45 countries, reveal the natural beauty of the night sky

Staghorn coral is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries has proposed it be reclassified as endangered.

Endangered Ocean Creatures Beyond the Cute and Cuddly

Marine species threatened with extinction aren’t just whales, seals and turtles—they include fish, corals, mollusks, birds, and a lone seagrass

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The World According to Twitter, in Maps

A new geographic analysis of millions of tweets provides a remarkably broad view of humanity, by language, location and other factors

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The Water On the Moon Probably Came From Earth

New isotopic analysis of hydrogen in Apollo-era Moon rocks shows that the water locked inside them hails from our planet

Helpless babe or capable professional navigator?

Baby Weddell Seals Have the Most Adult-Like Brains in the Animal Kingdom

The newborn seal pups possess the most well-developed brains compared to other mammals, but that advantage comes with a cost

The National Zoo's two giant pandas don't know how to mate with each other. But thanks to artificial insemination Mei Xiang (L) and Tian Tian (R) have produced two cubs, and a third may be on the way. Photo courtesy of the National Zoo

How Does Science Help Pandas Make More Panda Babies?

A behind-the-scenes look at the ways the National Zoo assists Washington’s most famous sexually frustrated bear couple

Our bodies convert asparagusic acid into sulfur-containing chemicals that stink—but some of us are spared from the pungent aroma.

Ask Smithsonian

Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell

Our bodies convert asparagusic acid into sulfur-containing chemicals that stink—but some of us are spared from the pungent odor

VOTO, a new device that converts the heat from a fire into readily usable electricity.

Five Innovative Technologies that Bring Energy to the Developing World

From soccer balls to cookstoves, engineers are working on a range of devices that provide cheap, clean energy

How many unborn brothers and sisters did this sand tiger shark devour to be here today?

Baby Sand Tiger Sharks Devour Their Siblings While Still in the Womb

This seemingly horrific reproduction strategy may be a way for females to better control which males sire her offspring

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The Strange Beauty of David Maisel’s Aerial Photographs

A new book shows how the photographer creates startling images of open-pit mines, evaporation ponds and other sites of environmental degradation

Emperor penguins swimming

14 Fun Facts About Penguins

Which penguin swims the fastest? Do penguins have teeth? Why do penguins sneeze? How is penguin poop useful?

Flamingos depend on plant-derived chemical compounds to color their feathers, legs and beaks.

For Some Species, You Really Are What You Eat

Flamingos, shrimp and many other animals use chemical compounds found in their diets to color their exteriors

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