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The lioness, photographed by a trail camera in February, is likely around five years old.

First Lion Spotted in Chad National Park in 20 Years Is ‘Beautiful’ and ‘Healthy’

A trail camera snapped a photograph of the lounging big cat, giving wildlife officials renewed hope about the species’ recovery in West and Central Africa

Descendants of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and descendants of slaves owned by Lee face Washington, DC, as they pose for a photo during a reunion at Lee's former plantation home, the Arlington House, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on April 22, 2023.

The Descendants of Robert E. Lee and the Workers He Enslaved Join Hands in Racial Reconciliation

The Confederate general’s Virginia home hosted families from all across the United States.

Hawaiian monk seal Kaiwi and her pup lie face-to-face in the sand on Kaimana Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, on April 20.

Newborn Monk Seal Pup and Mother Get 24/7 Police Protection

Wildlife officials closed down a popular Hawaiian beach to protect the pair of endangered mammals

Park-goers hoping to catch a glimpse of the synchronized flashing of fireflies can soon enter a lottery.

How You Can See Tens of Thousands of Fireflies Flash in Unison

The lottery for viewing these bioluminescent bugs at Great Smoky Mountains National Park opens Friday

Mars and Deimos in a high-resolution composite image captured by the United Arab Emirates' Hope probe

See the First Detailed Close-Ups of Mars’ Moon Deimos

A United Arab Emirates spacecraft took a high-resolution look at the mysterious moon and uncovered new evidence about its origin

An American submarine sank the Montevideo Maru in 1942, causing Australia's largest loss of life at sea.

Searchers Find WWII Ship That Sank With More Than 1,000 Allied POWs Aboard

Unaware that the “Montevideo Maru” was transporting prisoners, an American submarine torpedoed the Japanese ship in 1942

A drone made from a taxidermy bird.

Scientists Are Making Drones From Taxidermy Birds

They want to use the devices for less disruptive wildlife monitoring and to learn more about avian flight

Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer was the most challenged book in 2022, according to the American Library Association.

American Library Association Names 2022’s Most Banned Books

As book censorship soared, titles with LGBTQ themes were the most targeted

Huge quantities of plastics make their way into oceans and other bodies of water.

The Pacific Garbage Patch Is Home to Coastal Species—in the Middle of the Ocean

These out-of-place organisms are thriving on floating trash, but they may compete with open-water species

A 1960 portrait of Harry Belafonte 

Harry Belafonte, Groundbreaking Singer, Songwriter and Activist, Dies at 96

A Smithsonian curator reviews Belafonte’s legacy, from breaking racial barriers in the entertainment industry to 70 years of civil rights activism

Sleeping northern elephant seals on the beach at Año Nuevo State Park, California.

Elephant Seals Take Extreme Power Naps in the Open Ocean

While foraging on deep dives, the marine mammals sleep for about two hours per day in short, ten-minute bursts

English king Edward I stole the stone from Scotland in 1296. Approximately 700 years later, England returned the stone to its home country.

New Research

Researchers Find Hidden Markings on the Stone of Destiny, Sacred Slab Used in British Coronations

Ahead of the crowning of Charles III on May 6, experts analyzed the stone with cutting-edge technology

The curtain call of a 2015 performance of the New York City Ballet, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

New York City Ballet Celebrates 75 Years of Tradition and Innovation

The 2023-2024 season will include a recreation of the company’s first-ever performance

The submersible Alvin collects samples from rocky outcrop in the newly discovered coral reef.

See the Pristine Coral Reefs Found off the Galápagos Islands

These ancient deep-sea reefs have barely been affected by humans and can provide a way to measure the impact of climate change on corals

Ellie, an 11-year-old Goffin’s cockatoo, video chats with a friend.

Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Other—and the Birds Loved It

Wild parrots tend to fly in flocks, but when kept as single pets, they may become lonely and bored

This photograph taken on January 21, 2022, shows the Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi in front of a painting of Pope Gregorio XV at the Casino dell'Aurora inside the Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi in Rome.

Texas-Born Italian Noble Evicted From Her 16th-Century Villa

Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi has lived in the home for 20 years, battling with the family of her deceased husband

Archaeologists are uncovering a Roman mosaic located in front of a vape shop at a shopping mall in southeast England.

Roman Mosaic Revealed at Shopping Mall in England

First discovered in the 1980s—then covered back up—the mosaic will now be displayed under a layer of glass for all patrons to see

The New York City Fire Department's robotic dog

Robot Dog Surveys Collapsed New York Parking Garage

With the city’s police department also using the four-legged technology, residents are raising questions about the robot’s place in public safety

A rendering of the 2.3-acre site that will house the Museum of Shakespeare

An Interactive Shakespeare Museum Will Immerse Visitors in the Ruins of an Elizabethan Theater

The cultural institution is slated to open in London in spring 2024

Sarracenia pitcher plants typically live in bogs in the southeastern United States.

Carnivorous Plants May Lure Insects With Specially Tailored Scents

Pitcher plants appear to use different odor cocktails to attract bees, moths, ants and other bugs into their death traps

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