Articles tagged as Animals | Smithsonian Magazine

This aerial view shoes the weird wonder of "fairy circles" in the Namibian desert.

Dueling Theories on the Cause of “Fairy Circles” Could Both Be Right

New research brings together competing concepts to describe how the mysterious features form

January 18, 2017

Scimitar-horned oryx being released into their holding pen in Chad last March

Hunting wiped out wild populations of the scimitar-horned creatures, but breeding programs are helping them make a comeback

January 18, 2017

The doormouse hibernates to conserve resources in harsh conditions. Similarly, scientists envision humans hibernating to endure long-distance space travel.

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Can Humans Ever Harness the Power of Hibernation?

Scientists want to know if astronauts can hibernate during long spaceflights. First, they need to understand what hibernation is

January 18, 2017

The Strange Link Between Bats and Tequila

As a nectar feeder, the lesser long-nosed bat follows the trail of cactus blooms between Mexico and the U.S.

January 18, 2017

Colo died at age 60 in the zoo where she was so famously born.

The miracle baby turned matriarch was 60 years old

January 17, 2017

As his ancestors have done for generations, Icelander Árni Hilmarsson catches an Atlantic puffin in a net called a háfur.

Disappearing Puffins Bring an Icelandic Hunting Tradition Under Scrutiny

Historically, hunting seabirds has been a distinctive feature of Nordic coastal culture. Should it still be?

January 17, 2017

Nearly 100 false killer whales are currently stranded in the Everglades in the worst Florida stranding of its kind.

So far, at least 82 false killer whales have died

January 17, 2017

What Can a Puff Adder Snake Bite Do to a Rhino?

A puff adder’s bite can do serious damage, even to an animal with skin as thick as a rhino’s. The photographic evidence we have is not pretty

January 16, 2017

Macaques and humans seem to share the strength of knowing the limits of what they know.

New Research

A Wise Monkey Knows How Little He Knows

Japanese scientists find that macaque monkeys, like humans, know the limits of their own memory

January 13, 2017

A ruby seadragon, Phyllopteryx dewysea that washed up on the Point Culver cliffs in Western Australia.

Cool Finds

Watch the First Footage of the Rare Ruby Seadragon Alive in the Wild

The sneaky critter has never been seen in its natural habitat before

January 13, 2017

Scarce resources could push killer whales into menopause.

New Research

Orca Moms Might Go Into Menopause Because of Their Daughters

Competition could explain this evolutionary mystery

January 13, 2017

Smallmouth salamanders reproduce sexually, which may give them certain advantages.

New Research

When Is Sex Worth Going the Distance? When You’re a Salamander, Apparently

Asexual amphibians may be less equipped to handle modern threats than their sexual counterparts

January 13, 2017

Here’s What Makes Komodo Dragons So Powerful

Not only is the Komodo dragon the largest lizard in the world, its powerful claws, tail, and bite make it one of the deadliest

January 13, 2017

If only the three blind mice had enjoyed access to 21st century retinal transplant technology.

New Research

These Blind Mice Just Got a Vision Boost Thanks to a New Transplant Technique. Could Blind Humans Be Next?

Transplanting an entire piece of retinal tissue into the eyes of blind mice appears to work better than just transplanting cells

January 11, 2017

Anna's hummingbirds have brains uniquely adapted for hovering precisely while feeding.

New Research

For Hummingbirds, the World Moves as Fast as They Do

New research shows how the hummingbird brain allows them to hover and fly precisely

January 6, 2017

Age of Humans

Video: Why Should Humans Care About Preserving the Diversity of Life on Earth?

This animation explains that humans don’t just impact the interconnected web of life—we depend on it

January 6, 2017

Because Cystisoma live far from shore, scientists have just begun to study them in their natural habitat.

The Master of Disguise of the Ocean Reveals Its Secrets

A marine creature’s unusual defense is becoming perfectly clear

January 2017

A street cat lounging in inner Sydney, Australia.

New Research

Feral Cats Now Cover 99.8 Percent of Australia

The fluffy murderbeasts pose a major threat to wildlife

January 4, 2017

An illustration of Topsy from the St. Paul Globe on June 16, 1902.

Topsy the Elephant Was a Victim of Her Captors, Not Thomas Edison

Many believe Edison killed Topsy to prove a point, but some historians argue otherwise

January 4, 2017

According to one group, animals consume eight times more antibiotics than human beings each year.

It Just Got Harder to Give Antibiotics to Farm Animals

New regulations take aim at antibiotic resistance

January 4, 2017