Smart News

Trending Today

Toxic Algae Closes Important Maine Shellfish Region

The unprecedented late-season bloom may be linked to warming waters and could be a preview of things to come

January 5, 2018

Future of Energy

Administration Proposes Opening Nearly All U.S. Coastlines to Offshore Drilling

Over 90 percent of America’s waters will be available for oil and gas drilling under proposed plan

January 5, 2018

Humans Like Helpers, But Bonobos Prefer Bullies

A new study has found that bonobos gravitate towards characters that push and steal toys

January 5, 2018

New Research

How Peacock Spiders Make Rainbows on Their Backsides

The adorable arachnids use specialized scales to break light into its component colors to produce some of nature’s tiniest rainbows

January 5, 2018

Asteroid-Sampling Spacecraft Captures Haunting View of Earth in Space

OSIRIS-REx tested its cameras by taking a gorgeous photo of its home planet

January 5, 2018

New Research

This Is the Largest Known Prime Number Yet

The newly discovered prime is 23 million digits long

January 4, 2018

New Research

UV Light Could Help Stop the Bat-Killing White Nose Syndrome

Research shows the fungus is susceptible to UV light. The problem is getting bats into the tanning beds

January 4, 2018

Indian Jewels Swiped From Venice Museum in “Movie-Worthy” Heist

The thieves reportedly deactivated the alarm system and walked off with the goods in broad daylight

January 4, 2018

Why Americans Missed Out on Public Domain Day (Again)

Aleister Crowley, Dorothy Parker, and René Magritte joined the public domain in 2018, but not in the United States

January 4, 2018

India to Cap Number of Taj Mahal Visitors

Spurred by safety and conservation concerns, officials plan to limit the number of domestic tourists to 40,000 per day

January 4, 2018

New Research

Big Data Traces the World’s Most Distinctive Musical Traditions

An analysis of 8,200 recordings from 137 nations shows nations in sub-Saharan Africa have the most unique rhythms and melodies

January 4, 2018

New Research

Dust, Not an Alien Megastructure, Likely Causes Strange Winks in Tabby’s Star Brightness

After extensive observations, researchers can now confidently say: It’s not aliens

January 3, 2018

Trending Today

Meet the Newly Named 86 Stars of the Night Sky

The new names are drawn from China, Australia, South Africa, Maya, Polynesian and Coptic traditions

January 3, 2018

Watch Rare Footage of the Elusive Javan Warty Pig in the Wild

Habitat destruction and hunting are rapidly driving the “world’s ugliest pig” to extinction

January 3, 2018

Cool Finds

Wisdom the Oldest Known Albatross Is Expecting (Again)

The Laysan albatross is now 67 years old and is thought to have raised 30 to 35 chicks in her lifetime

January 3, 2018

China Brings an End to Its Ivory Trade

The country is believed to have been one of the world’s largest markets for ivory products

January 3, 2018

Trending Today

Quadrantid Meteor Shower Kicks Off the New Year

The annual show is known for producing long-lasting, bright fireballs from asteroid 2003 EH1

January 2, 2018

Watch the Supermoon Rise Around the World in Pictures

The ‘super’ event was a great excuse to get outside and take in some celestial wonder—even if the moon didn’t look all that different

January 2, 2018

Amazon Bird Revealed to be Extremely Rare Hybrid Species

The Golden-crowned manakin is the first-known hybrid bird species found in the Amazon rainforest

January 2, 2018

Rose Marie’s Sprawling Legacy as Told Through the Artifacts She Left Behind

The late actress sang for mobsters, toured New York nightclubs and wisecracked her way through a career that spanned nine decades

December 29, 2017