Why Have Birds Never Gotten as Big as T. Rex?
Even the most massive birds have never reached the sizes of their dinosaur relatives
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Giant Sloths and Many Other Massive Creatures Were Once Common on Our Planet. With Environmental Changes, Such Giants Could Thrive Again
If large creatures like elephants, giraffes and bison are allowed to thrive, they could alter habitats that allow for the rise of other giants
Seven Mysteries You Can Explore in America’s National Parks
From unexplained phenomena to baffling disappearances, follow the clues while discovering our country’s treasured protected areas
How Underwater Archaeology Brings Secrets to the Surface, From Lost Shipwrecks to Submerged Cities
An immersive new exhibition at the Intrepid Museum in New York City spotlights the science and technology behind the discipline
Why Are So Many More Women Being Diagnosed With ADHD?
Experts once thought ADHD was something only boys experienced. The research is finally starting to catch up with reality
A Closer Look at the Kestrels, Hedgehogs and Other Wild Animals That Inhabit Rome
From antiquity to modern times, the city has been rife with creatures that creep, slither, scurry and nest among its pillars and palaces
With Space Junk on the Rise, Is a Catastrophic Event Inevitable?
Debris from rockets and satellites can fall back to Earth or collide with other objects, and wreckage that burns up can harm the ozone layer
Can a Medical Device Restore Your Balance?
Nearly two million people worldwide have lost the simple ability to feel steady. Now researchers have developed an experimental medical implant that promises to restore the sensory machinery responsible for balance
In a Milestone for Manhattan, a Pair of Coyotes Has Made Central Park Their Home
For six years, two photographers have carefully followed the canines and documented their secret lives
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of ‘Jaws’ With 15 Shark Snapshots
The classic thriller might discourage you from getting in the water, so check out these sensational shark images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest instead
Ten Stunning Nature Photos From the BigPicture 2025
From the beautiful to the bizarre, this annual photographic showcase shines a light on some of our planet’s most breathtaking species and places
Scientists Are Tracking Worrying Declines in Insects—and the Birds That Feast on Them. Here’s What’s Being Done to Save Them Both
In Vermont, researchers have investigated the types of creepy, crawly bugs that their avian predators consume and may have found the answers to keeping them both alive
Scientists Are Just Beginning to Understand How Life Makes Clouds, and Their Discoveries May Drastically Improve Climate Science
Plants, plankton and sea spray all release elements that help the atmospheric blankets form
Can the Redfish, That Gulf Coast Culinary Icon, Be Brought Back From the Brink?
The Cajun cooking craze nearly wiped out the species native to Louisiana, but conservation stemmed the tide. Now the fish faces new threats
After Crocs and Lemurs Went Extinct on the Mainland, Many Survived on Islands for Millions of Years
Isolation allows creatures to thrive as their relatives perish due to the threats present on much larger landmasses
In South Africa, a Smart Gate Could Help Connect Elephants’ Fragmented Habitat
An unlikely quartet’s clever contraption may allow the pachyderms to make better use of their range
How Do I Research Ancestors Who Sailed to America in the 1600s? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
This Majestic Monkey Has Become a Beloved Neighbor for Millions in Vietnam
For the critically endangered red-shanked douc, proximity to an urban center has had surprising benefits
These Sandhill Cranes Have Adopted a Canada Gosling, and Birders Have Flocked to Watch the Strange Family
Ornithologists and locals wonder what the future holds for this chick being raised by much taller, but still doting parents
Why Has This North Carolina Town Embraced a Strange Salamander?
The city of Boone has put a giant mural of the eastern hellbender downtown and its residents often imbibe a local Hazy IPA named after the amphibian
Six Questions About Covid-19 Vaccines, Answered
Recent vaccination announcements have led to some confusion. Four physicians weigh in on who should get vaccinated and when
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