Special Report

Planet Positive

As the nation celebrates the 51st anniversary of the first Earth Day, and as Smithsonian magazine commemorates more than 50 years of delivering in-depth, factual reporting about the environment, we are taking the time to present stories about what's working in wildlife and environmental conservation.

Dan Reynolds Photography via Getty Images

Wildlife Conservation

A beaver peers out of a Hancock live trap after being captured by Molly Alves, a biologist with the Tulalip Tribe in Washington.

Scientists Are Relocating Nuisance Beavers to Help Salmon

Bald eagle populations have been steadily recovering since their all-time low in the 1960s when fewer than 500 nesting pairs were left.

Why Bald Eagle Populations Soared in the Last Decade

Leafhoppers are known for devastating crops like potatoes and grapes. But they can be a benign presence within a balanced jungle ecosystem.

The Wild World of a New Nature Preserve in Ecuador

Solutions for the Future

Panamanian golden frogs—such as F1, seen here—are native to the rainforests and cloud forests of Panama but haven't been seen in the wild since 2009. Each creature's bright coloration warns predators of its deadly skin, which contains enough toxins to kill 1,200 mice.

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

A Small Band of Panamanian Golden Frogs Is Saving Their Species From Oblivion

A humpback whale breaches off the coast near Alameda, California. Ships collide and kill an estimated 80 endangered whales a year off of the West Coast.

Innovative New Whale Detection System Aims to Prevent Ships From Striking Animals

Sea turtle eggs, rumored to have aphrodisiac properties, are frequently poached from Costa Rican beaches

3-D Printed Sea Turtle Eggs Reveal Poaching Routes

More Science and Conservation Coverage

The volcano (not visible in this image) emerged near Mayotte Island (pictured), located between East Africa and Magagascar.

Underwater Eruption Off France's Mayotte Island Gave Rise to a New Colossal Seamount

Elizabeth Gamillo

After comparing all genomes, the researchers found that the Japanese wolf is part of an evolutionary branch of wolves that arose 20,000 to 40,000 years ago. Some of the wolves from this branch evolved into the Japanese wolves while others branched off and gave rise to modern dogs.

Ancient Japanese Wolves May Be the Closest Wild Relative of Modern Dogs

Elizabeth Gamillo

The change to more eco-friendly toys is already underway in some countries like the UK and Ireland. In France, kids can choose between receiving a sustainable toy or a book in the "One Book or One Toy" program with their Happy Meal.

McDonald's Will Offer More Sustainable Happy Meal Toys by 2025

Elizabeth Gamillo

Low-dose aspirin or baby aspirin (81 to 100 milligrams) has been used as a safe and cheap way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots. Aspirin does this by thinning out the blood and preventing blood clots from forming, which may block arteries.

Aspirin No Longer Recommended as a Preventative Measure Against Heart Attacks and Strokes in Older Individuals

Elizabeth Gamillo

While the seeds do not indicate how the ancient humans used tobacco, researchers suspect that tobacco leaves, stems, and other plants may have been twisted together and chewed or sucked and the seeds were discarded or spit out.

Humans' Earliest Evidence of Tobacco Use Uncovered in Utah

Elizabeth Gamillo