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Science

Engineer Tad McGeer, at his company's headquarters near Bingen, Washington, played a key role in getting the civilian drone industry off the ground.

Drones are Ready for Takeoff

Will unmanned aerial vehicles—drones—soon take civilian passengers on pilotless flights?

Weighing up to several tons, whale sharks are also notable for their markings. Each pattern of spots is unique and scientists identify individual fish using computer programs first developed to study star constellations.

Swimming With Whale Sharks

Wildlife researchers and tourists are heading to a tiny Mexican village to learn about the mystery of the largest fish in the sea

Chimpanzee Yawning

Wild Things: Yawning Chimps, Humpback Whales and More…

Leaping beetles, Pacific salmon, prehistoric mammals and other news updates in wildlife research

The reconstructed skeleton of "Brontosaurus" from W.D. Matthew's 1915 book Dinosaurs.

Two Views on How to Make a Baby Sauropod

It took a long time—and a new understanding of sauropod lifestyles—to figure out whether they laid eggs or gave birth to live young

Feral cats can roam over great distances, a new study finds.

The Secret Lives of Feral Cats

Free-roaming, unowned kitties live differently from our beloved pets

Scientists use satellite images of the kelp canopy (here, as seen from underwater) to track this important ecosystem over time.

A New View Into California’s Kelp Forests

Satellite imagery is providing new insight into an important ecosystem just off the California coast

The horns of Marsh's Bison alticornis, now recognized as those of a ceratopsian dinosaur.

When Triceratops Was a Giant Bison

The giant with the “three-horned face” was originally mistaken for a very different creature

The cover of Doug TenNapel's Tommysaurus Rex.

Pen and Ink Dinosaurs: Tommysaurus Rex

Tyrannosaurus rex is the antithesis of everything a good pet should be. “Literally awful and almost certainly needing a special insurance policy” to keep

Most fatal black bear attacks are carried out by hungry males

How To Avoid Being Eaten By A Black Bear

A recent study of fatal black bear attacks shows that hungry males are the ones to really worry about

A skeleton of the Late Triassic ichthyosaur Shastasaurus liangae.

Slurp! The Marine Reptile Shastasaurus Was a Suction Feeder

Thanks to new specimens found in China, paleontologists have discovered that Shastasaurus ate very much like a beaked whale does today

What bits of the universe are legal to own?

A Quick Guide to Owning the Universe

If someone tries to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, you know it’s a hoax. But what about a meteorite, moon or star?

Asian carp, imported from China in 1973 to clean algae from Southern ponds, broke from their confines and infested the Mississippi River waterways.

Making the Best of Invasive Species

Garlic mustard and Asian carp can wreak havoc on their ecosystems, but do they have a future on your dinner plate?

Llamas can still be found at Machu Picchu today.

The Secret to Machu Picchu’s Success: Llama Poop

The Incas used llama dung as fertilizer to grow maize, and fuel an empire

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One Dinosaur Too Many?

Are there too many dinosaurs? Paleontologist Jack Horner thinks so, and he explained his reasoning in a short TED talk last month

A Spinosaurus sculpture near an ice cream shop in California.

Dinosaur Sighting: Spinosaurus Scoop

Spinosaurus may not be as popular as Tyrannosaurus, but sculptures and models of the sail-backed predatory dinosaur are common along America’s roadsides

A model of estimated fault slip for the March 2011 Japanese earthquake.

What Scientists Are Learning About the 2011 Japanese Earthquake

What scientists are learning from “the best recorded earthquake ever” could help prepare for future ones

A restoration of Apatosaurus

Dinosaur Skin Scraps Are a Jurassic Mystery

Black-footed ferrets at the National Zoo

Black-Footed Ferrets and Other Endangered Critters

The subject of endangered species can be a depressing one, but there are also many reasons to be hopeful

Repeated in pop culture for a century, the notion that humans only use 10 percent of our brains is false. Scans have shown that much of the brain is engaged even during simple tasks.

Top Ten Myths About the Brain

When it comes to this complex, mysterious, fascinating organ, what do—and don’t—we know?

Paleontologist Philip Currie poses with a tyrannosaur skull.

Tarbosaurus Gangs: What Do We Know?

The proposal of pack-hunting dinosaurs is old news in paleontological circles, and the evidence to support the claims about Tarbosaurus hasnt been released

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