https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/penguins/RSS feed for PenguinsenWed, 20 May 2026 19:09:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/A new study indicates that the adaptable birds evolved into distinct lineages as isolated populations shifted to match their environmental conditions over time. The work has implications for how conservationists assess threats to gentoosWed, 20 May 2026 19:09:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-that-won-the-german-society-for-nature-photographys-annual-contest-180988711/From a lunging frog to the majestic movements of penguins, the honored photographs capture the wonder of wildlife and beauty of natural landscapesMon, 11 May 2026 14:42:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-that-won-the-german-society-for-nature-photographys-annual-contest-180988711/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/king-penguins-seem-to-be-benefiting-from-a-warming-world-while-thats-good-news-for-now-it-could-spell-trouble-for-the-future-180988352/The birds are breeding earlier, and more of their chicks are surviving. But researchers fear this success may not lastMon, 16 Mar 2026 14:13:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/king-penguins-seem-to-be-benefiting-from-a-warming-world-while-thats-good-news-for-now-it-could-spell-trouble-for-the-future-180988352/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/emperor-penguins-annual-molt-might-put-them-in-peril-the-sea-ice-they-rely-on-during-this-vulnerable-period-is-disappearing-180988278/The birds' already risky molting strategy—in which they shed and regrow all their feathers at once—is becoming even more hazardous due to climate changeTue, 03 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/emperor-penguins-annual-molt-might-put-them-in-peril-the-sea-ice-they-rely-on-during-this-vulnerable-period-is-disappearing-180988278/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-penguins-that-thrive-and-the-ones-left-behind-as-antarctica-warms-180988055/A new decade-long study tracked 37 penguin colonies and found that the birds are breeding earlier. The shift marks one way among many that climate change is transforming life at the bottom of the worldFri, 23 Jan 2026 19:07:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-penguins-that-thrive-and-the-ones-left-behind-as-antarctica-warms-180988055/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/rockhopper-penguins-athleticism-makes-them-daredevils-animal-world-will-warming-climate-slow-them-down-180987846/A visit to the Falkland Islands, where the fearless seabirds navigate the rugged topography with tenacious spunk, shows the new challenges they faceMon, 05 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/rockhopper-penguins-athleticism-makes-them-daredevils-animal-world-will-warming-climate-slow-them-down-180987846/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pumas-are-snacking-on-penguins-in-argentinaand-the-abundance-of-birds-is-changing-the-prowling-cats-behavior-180987894/Mountain lions are adapting to their defenseless, predictable prey, which return to Patagonia seasonally to nest and breed, new research suggestsThu, 18 Dec 2025 15:45:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pumas-are-snacking-on-penguins-in-argentinaand-the-abundance-of-birds-is-changing-the-prowling-cats-behavior-180987894/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/early-penguins-had-long-dagger-like-beaks-for-skewering-fish-new-zealand-fossils-reveal-180987287/Paleontologists describe four new species of extinct ancestral penguins that help shed light on how the iconic birds evolved after dinosaurs went extinctThu, 04 Sep 2025 19:43:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/early-penguins-had-long-dagger-like-beaks-for-skewering-fish-new-zealand-fossils-reveal-180987287/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/penguin-poop-helps-drive-cloud-formation-over-antarctica-according-to-a-new-study-180986686/The ammonia from Adélie penguin guano reacts with sulfur-containing gases in the atmosphere to aid in forming clouds, which scientists say may be significant to regulating the climateTue, 27 May 2025 17:02:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/penguin-poop-helps-drive-cloud-formation-over-antarctica-according-to-a-new-study-180986686/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/aquarium-builds-new-assisted-living-retirement-retreat-for-aging-african-penguins-to-live-out-their-golden-years-180986342/At the New England Aquarium, the geriatric birds can now enjoy a quieter, calmer setting with an emphasis on personalized careTue, 01 Apr 2025 18:59:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/aquarium-builds-new-assisted-living-retirement-retreat-for-aging-african-penguins-to-live-out-their-golden-years-180986342/