Rodents and Shrews | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/rodents-and-shrews/RSS feed for Rodents and ShrewsenWed, 13 May 2026 18:45:07 +0000See 17 Intricate Microscope Photographs That Make the Miniature World Immense. They Won the Evident Image of the Year Contesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-17-intricate-microscope-photographs-that-make-the-miniature-world-immense-they-won-the-evident-image-of-the-year-contest-180988722/The sixth annual competition showcases scientific microscopic imaging, illuminating tiny parts of nature, from individual cells to arthropods, diatoms and a zebrafish brainWed, 13 May 2026 18:45:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-17-intricate-microscope-photographs-that-make-the-miniature-world-immense-they-won-the-evident-image-of-the-year-contest-180988722/These Singing Mice Squeak Back and Forth—and Don't Interrupt. Scientists Found the Brain Pathway Behind Their Impressive Songshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-singing-mice-squeak-back-and-forth-and-dont-interrupt-scientists-found-the-brain-pathway-behind-their-impressive-songs-180988720/Alston’s singing mice carry out complex vocalizations and even appear to converse politely with one another. The neural circuitry that makes this possible is simpler than researchers expectedMon, 11 May 2026 20:44:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-singing-mice-squeak-back-and-forth-and-dont-interrupt-scientists-found-the-brain-pathway-behind-their-impressive-songs-180988720/A Deadly Outbreak of Hantavirus Has Stranded a Cruise Ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Here's What to Know About the Rare Contagionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/Three people associated with the vessel have died, and health officials have identified a total of two confirmed cases and five suspected cases of the infection. The virus usually spreads via contaminated rodent droppingsTue, 05 May 2026 21:08:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/Beavers Are Ecosystem Engineers—and They Might Be Helpful Allies in the Fight Against Human-Caused Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beavers-are-ecosystem-engineers-and-they-might-be-helpful-allies-in-the-fight-against-human-caused-climate-change-180988609/New research suggests that wetlands created by the industrious rodents are carbon sinks, meaning they store a lot of heat-trapping carbon dioxide—the human-produced gas largely responsible for today's global warmingFri, 24 Apr 2026 14:36:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beavers-are-ecosystem-engineers-and-they-might-be-helpful-allies-in-the-fight-against-human-caused-climate-change-180988609/Naked Mole Rats Usually Duke It Out to Choose Their Next Queen. But These Unusual Rodents May Be Capable of More Peaceful Transitions of Powerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/naked-mole-rats-usually-duke-it-out-to-decide-who-becomes-a-colonys-next-queen-but-these-unusual-creatures-are-also-capable-of-peaceful-transitions-new-research-suggests-180988589/In a laboratory experiment centered around a colony known as the Amigos, researchers observed a subordinate female take over reproduction without incidentTue, 21 Apr 2026 18:37:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/naked-mole-rats-usually-duke-it-out-to-decide-who-becomes-a-colonys-next-queen-but-these-unusual-creatures-are-also-capable-of-peaceful-transitions-new-research-suggests-180988589/Large Invasive Rodents Are Wreaking Havoc in California. New Research Suggests Someone Deliberately Introduced Themhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-invasive-rodents-are-wreaking-havoc-in-california-new-research-suggests-someone-deliberately-introduced-them-180988554/Genetic testing revealed that nutria living in California since 2017 are most closely related to a population in central Oregon—too far for the creatures to have traveled on their ownThu, 16 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-invasive-rodents-are-wreaking-havoc-in-california-new-research-suggests-someone-deliberately-introduced-them-180988554/A Small Rodent Hero Left a Giant Legacy. Now, Cambodia Honors This Famous Bomb-Sniffing Rat With a Seven-Foot Statuehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-small-rodent-hero-left-a-giant-legacy-now-cambodia-honors-this-famous-bomb-sniffing-rat-with-a-seven-foot-statue-180988515/Magawa the African giant pouched rat cleared more 1.5 million square feet of land mines during his five-year career, making him one of the most successful bomb-sniffing rodents in the country’s historyThu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-small-rodent-hero-left-a-giant-legacy-now-cambodia-honors-this-famous-bomb-sniffing-rat-with-a-seven-foot-statue-180988515/