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Glacier mice are balls of moss found in parts of Alaska and Iceland.

New Research

Herds of Moss Balls Mysteriously Roam the Arctic Together

The moss isn’t propelled by a slope, the wind, or the sun, but the group moves in sync

A forest in Koenigshain, Germany.

New Research

Forests Are Getting Shorter and Younger All Over the World

The loss of the oldest, tallest trees makes forests store less carbon dioxide and diminishes the wildlife they can support

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, pictured in 2005 near their installation The Gates in New York's Central Park. Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Trending Today

Christo, Artist Who Wrapped Landmarks and Coastlines in Fabric, Dies at 84

With collaborator and wife Jeanne-Claude, he created enormous, ephemeral art installations

Shot in 1935, this is a still from a newly rediscovered bit of footage depicting Benjamin, the last captive thylacine on Earth. He was on display at the Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart, Tasmania.

‘New’ Footage of Benjamin, the Last Tasmanian Tiger Ever Seen Alive

The short video hasn’t been seen in more than 80 years and shows the animal pacing its enclosure in Hobart, Tasmania

Experts are now conducting a full excavation of the property.

Cool Finds

Home Renovations in Norway Unearth Viking Burial

A local couple found an iron axe head and glass bead that archaeologists say may date to the ninth century

A bald eagle nest—complete with eaglet—in Rutland, Massachusetts

Bald Eagle Nest With Eggs Spotted on Cape Cod for the First Time in 115 Years

Number of bald eagle nests in Massachusetts continues to soar, officials say

Washington State Department of Agriculture entomologist Chris Looney holds a dead invasive Asian giant hornet alongside the smaller, native bald-faced hornet. With the addition of two new sightings recorded in the last month in Washington and British Columbia, there have now been six confirmed sightings of the world's largest hornet in North America.

Two New Asian Giant Hornet Sightings in Pacific Northwest

The sightings, both of individual dead hornets, expand the area currently being patrolled by scientists hoping to track and eradicate the invasive insect

The author is quick to point out that The Ickabog is separate from the Harry Potter series.

Education During Coronavirus

Read J.K. Rowling’s New Children’s Book Online for Free

The “Harry Potter” author is also asking young readers to submit illustrations of “The Ickabog”

Loons have been known to launch themselves out of the water and stab others in the chest with their dagger-like beaks.

Eagle Stabbed Through the Heart—and a Loon’s to Blame

Birdie, you give loons a bad name

An adult male Hippocampus nalu will grow to a maximum of just 2 centimeters long.

Newly Discovered Pygmy Seahorse Species Is the Size of a Fingernail

This tiny creature is the first of its kind discovered near the continent of Africa

Scientists discovered the remains of some 60 mammoths during excavations for a new airport in Mexico.

Remains of 60 Mammoths Discovered in Mexico

Archaeologists found the trove of bones just six miles from recently discovered human-made ‘mammoth traps’

A storm on the Great Salt Lake in Utah exposed the wreckage of what may be a 100-year-old boat.

Cool Finds

Storm Unearths Wreck of Century-Old Boat in Utah’s Great Salt Lake

The vessel may belong to a fleet used to construct and maintain a railroad causeway that crosses the briny body of water

"Project Pride," a virtual concert and “time capsule,” will celebrate LGBTQ history, heritage and culture through musical performances, conversations and highlights from the Smithsonian Institution’s collections.

How to Watch the Smithsonian Pride Alliance’s Free Virtual Concert

Catch “Project Pride,” featuring performances by Tig Notaro, Rufus Wainwright and Big Freedia, on YouTube this Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern time

Larry Kramer by Robert Giard, gelatin silver print, 1989

Playwright and AIDS Activist Larry Kramer Dies at 84

The American writer and public health advocate was “a lionhearted force,” says Smithsonian curator Katherine Ott

An aerial view of one of the circular enclosures at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey

Did Geometry Guide the Construction of the World’s Oldest Temple?

New research suggests the center points of three stone megalith circles at Göbekli Tepe form a near-perfect triangle

These ‘Elvis Worms’ Shimmer and Sparkle—and Fight Rough

New research describes four species of iridescent deep-sea creatures that sparkle like bedazzled Elvis Presley jumpsuits

Archaeologists found a skull fragment, femur and other human remains on the fifth day of the excavation.

Likely Burial Site of Irish Hero ‘Red’ Hugh O’Donnell Found in Spain

The 16th-century chieftain fled his home country after suffering a devastating defeat at the Battle of Kinsale

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for its first crew launch from American soil arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 13, 2020.

First Rocket Launch From U.S. Soil in Nine Years Postponed

The two NASA astronauts will lift off from historic launch pad 39A, used for the Apollo and space shuttle missions

Archaeologists found the well-preserved tiles while conducting excavations at a commune near Verona, Italy.

Cool Finds

Ancient Roman Mosaic Floor Unearthed Beneath Italian Vineyard

The intricate, multi-colored tiles likely date to the third century A.D.

Six-year-old Imri Elya was awarded a "good citizenship" certificate for discovering a rare, small Canaanite tablet near an Israeli archaeological site.

Six-Year-Old Boy Discovers Rare Canaanite Tablet

Imri Elya was hiking with his family when he spotted the 3,500-year-old object

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