The Tyrolean Iceman Ötzi is one of the oldest known human glacier mummies.

Famed 5,300-Year-Old Alps Iceman Was a Balding Middle-Aged Man With Dark Skin and Eyes

Genetic analysis shows that Ötzi was descended from farmers who migrated from an area that is now part of Turkey

One of the most popular species identification tools is iNaturalist. Since its creation in 2008, the app has logged more than 145 million observations from around the world.

The Race to Develop Artificial Intelligence That Can Identify Every Species on the Planet

Scientists are building machine-learning-powered software that can recognize a species based solely on a cellphone picture

Wispy gold interneurons and astrocyte cells surround large cortical neurons in this painting of the brain’s inner circuitry.

See Seven Stunning Gold Paintings Inspired by the Brain

Artist Greg Dunn creates breathtaking renderings of neurons and their surrounding anatomy

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There's More to That

Hear What’s Happening to the Colorado River From a Photojournalist Who Has Spent His Entire Life Alongside It

In the latest episode of “There’s More to That,” learn about the Western waterway that affects the lives of everyone in the United States

An illustration by Terry Kerby of Pisces V exploring the ocean depths at Loihi.

Inside the Nerve-Racking Dive to an Active Submarine Volcano

The chief pilot of a deep-sea submersible recounts exploring Loihi, which will become Hawaii’s next island

Researchers are rediscovering the forgotten legacy of Charles Henry Turner.

This Pioneering Black Zoologist’s Insights Were a Century Ahead of Their Time

Charles Henry Turner conducted trailblazing research on the cognitive traits of bees, spiders and more

As one Nile crocodile rests, another perks up near a river in Tanzania.

Nile Crocodiles Recognize and React to the Sound of Crying Babies

The reptiles may be aware that primate infants are in trouble—and an easy meal

Kakadu peaches, like these harvested in Murdudjurl country in Kakadu National Park, are earthy with botanical notes.

The Next Superfoods May Come From Australia

But Indigenous people—who stand to benefit the most from the commercialization of “bush tucker”—represent only 1 percent of the industry

The letter “x” often symbolizes something unknown, with an air of mystery that can be appealing.

A Brief History of the Letter ‘X,’ From Algebra to X-Mas to Elon Musk

A math historian explores how “x” came to stand in for an unknown quantity

Some psychologists argue that certain people with psychopathic traits such as meanness can excel in business and other areas where boldness is an asset.

Can Psychopathic Tendencies Help You Achieve Success?

New research is reframing this often sensationalized and maligned set of traits and finding some positive twists

An artistic reconstruction shows a group of Burgessomedusa phasmiformis swimming in the Cambrian sea.

These 508-Million-Year-Old Fossils May Be Earth’s Oldest Swimming Jellyfish

Researchers found the rare remains in Canada

A female American kestrel, the smallest falcon in North America, catches a bug in her beak. Among other traits, female kestrels can be identified by black bars on the tail; males have red tail feathers with black tips.

See Stunning Images of Female Birds, Often Overlooked by Wildlife Photographers

The sex frequently neglected by birders and scientists takes the spotlight in the Audubon Photography Awards’ Female Bird Prize

Spider wrestling can range from casual matches played by children to more high-stakes games involving gambling.

Does Playing Games With Spiders Reduce Arachnophobia?

An anthropologist ponders whether a children’s pastime in the Philippines, pitting the creatures against each other in wrestling matches, decreases fear

A plate from the Birth Atlas, the Maternity Center Association's manual depicting the entire Birth Series using photography and line plate drawing

At the 1939 World’s Fair, Robert Latou Dickinson Demystified Pregnancy for a Curious Public

The gynecologist and sculptor’s “Birth Series” broke barriers, but how do his views on abortion, race and women’s health square with what we know today?

In the past decade, paleontologists have named several new dinosaur species and found that some previously discovered species belonged to their own groups.

How Many Dinosaurs Remain Undiscovered?

Paleontologists say more non-avian dinos are waiting to be uncovered than have previously been found

“Only among the hills with hare and kestrel will you observe what once this land was like before we made it fat for human use.” — “The Colony” by John Hewitt

These Surfers Want to Restore Temperate Rainforests to Ireland

In the rainy mountains along the country’s west coast, a movement has begun to bring back an ecosystem that has been gone for centuries

Antler coral can host different types of algae, sometimes resulting in differences in color. 

This Pacific Coral Can Withstand Warming Waters With the Help of Algae

The heat-resistant organism in antler coral may help it adapt as ocean temperatures increase

Trub, a leftover of the brewing process, could be key to scientists’ quest to develop a cheap, effective artificial scent guide for hatchery-raised salmon.

How Far Will Salmon Swim for a Craft Beer?

Researchers in Oregon hope a surprising aroma will lure stray fish back to their home hatcheries

An orca hunts sea lion pups on a beach in Argentina.

Five Astounding Orca Behaviors Explained, From Ramming Boats to Hunting Great White Sharks

The apex predators also surge onto shorelines to capture seals and engage in mysterious greeting ceremonies

Vertical farming can produce as much as traditional farming while using less water and less energy—if executed correctly.

Empty Office Buildings Are Being Turned Into Vertical Farms

With office usage hovering near 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels, cities are putting the underutilized space to new use growing food

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