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Science / Wildlife

Scientists observed the view down the borehole via a computer at the surface as they drilled into the Antarctic ice to reach Lake Whillans.

New Research

Thousands of Microbe Species Live in This Buried Antarctic Lake

Drilling through half a mile of ice let scientists uncover the first solid evidence of life in a subglacial lake

Changila, a male elephant who was later killed by poachers near Samburu National Reserve in Kenya.

New Research

Surprise! Science Shows That Elephant Poaching Is Unsustainable

For the first time, scientists have made a comprehensive tally of illegal killing rates across Africa

Shama, a red panda at the National Zoo, died August 16.

Shama, the Red Panda, Has Died

Shama, a red panda at the National Zoo, died on Saturday

An olinguito in Tandayapa, Ecuador

One Year After Discovery, Crowdsourcing the Olinguito

A year ago, researchers discovered a rare new species. That was just the beginning

A mountain lion kitten in Malibu Creek State Park.

The Real Cougars of Malibu Have Lives Full of Murder, Bad Sex and Poison

But a simple bridge over the freeway could help save the charismatic big cats

A photo of a whale shark, taken by a visitor during a Ceviche Tour swim in Isla Mujeres.

Shark Week

Save the Sharks By Swimming With Them

Ecotourism is helping promote shark conservation around the world—while also boosting local economies.

A blue shark near the Azores islands.

Shark Week

Bizarre Blue Shark Nursery Found in the North Atlantic

Rather than emerging in protected coves, baby blue sharks spend their first years in a big patch of open ocean

Two-headed smooth-hound (Mustelus)

Shark Week

A Two-Headed Shark and Other X-Rayed Beauties at the Smithsonian

Sandra Raredon’s x-rays of fish specimens are critical records for scientists studying various species. And, as works of art, they are breathtaking

A 16th-century illustration of imaginary sea monsters from Cosmographia by Sebastian Mustern, based on creatures from Carta Marina by Olaus Magnus.

Shark Week

Sharks Were Once Called Sea Dogs, And Other Little-Known Facts

Centuries-old illustrations of sharks show just how much we’ve learned about the fish since our first sightings of them

A great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in South Africa shows its jaws.

Shark Week

The State of Sharks, 40 Years After Jaws

We could be at a tipping point for conserving the infamous predators, if we can keep up shark-friendly practices

Dogfish shark denticles viewed using a scanning electron microscope.

Shark Week

Why Are Scientists Trying To Make Fake Shark Skin?

Faux marine animal skin could make swimmers faster, keep bathrooms clean and cloak underwater robots

A critically endangered European eel.

New Research

Eels Are Victims of Noise Pollution

Critically endangered European eels get distracted by man-made noise, making them more likely to get eaten by a predator

A pig appears to enjoy a refreshing bath.

From Panting to Pooping, 8 Weird Ways Animals Keep Cool

While you (and horses) are busy sweating buckets, some animals have evolved bizarre ways to keep cool

A prairie dog group scans for predators in South Dakota.

New Research

Social Networking Prairie Dog Style

Prairie dog kisses might help spread the plague, and stopping the most promiscuous rodents could curb that disease’s reach

Amanda Lawrence gently removes the specimens for their photo session.

Mission Not Impossible: Photographing 45,000 Bumblebees in 40 Days

The Natural History Museum’s entomology department is making its bumblebee collection go viral

Tropical regions are home to many unique species, such as this tiny frog belonging to the genus Dendrophryniscus that lives in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. A new study finds that removing just a few trees can quickly cause biodiversity in these tropical forests to fall.

New Research

Removing Just a Few Trees Can Lower Tropical Animal Biodiversity

Selective logging can halve the number of species of mammals and amphibians in a forest

An African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) calls out near Table Mountain National Park, Cape Town, South Africa.

New Research

Scientists Decode African Penguin Calls

Researchers are trying to figure out how “jackass” penguins—nicknamed for their braying vocalizations—communicate

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Art Meets Science

Old Time Portraits of Parasites

Photographer Marcus DeSieno uses antiquated techniques to take pictures of parasites with a mix of citizen science and monster movie panache

"Watermarks" earned first place in the contest. “The way water in this picture found its way back to the ocean reminded me of a peacock's tail spreading under the sun or a woman's hair blowing in the wind,” Sadri writes.

Art Meets Science

Who Knew Fungi and Fruit Fly Ovaries Could Be So Beautiful?

Princeton University’s annual science art contest shines a light on the research world, adding a video element this year

Elusive Indus River dolphins.

New Research

Why Freshwater Dolphins Are Some of the World’s Most Endangered Mammals

In Pakistan, dams and drainage has reduced the endangered Indus River dolphin’s range by 80 percent

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