Animals
Watch Octopuses Sucker-Punch Fish
Researchers caught the eight-armed sea creatures in the Red Sea slugging fish during collaborative hunts
Ten Scientific Discoveries From 2020 That May Lead to New Inventions
From soaring snakes to surfing suckerfish, nature is an endless source of inspiration
Wombats and Tasmanian Devils Glow Under Ultraviolet Light
Preliminary experiments suggest even more species of mammals may possess the UV glow
Twenty-Five of Our Favorite Stories From 2020
Smithsonian editors highlight some articles you might have missed from the past year
Light Pollution Is Causing Birds to Nest Earlier, Mitigating Some Effects of Climate Change
But two wrongs don't make a right, as both problems are altering the birds' biology
Meet the Real Animals Behind Mermaids, Dragons and Other Mythical Creatures
You can now take a virtual tour of a "Harry Potter"–inspired exhibition exploring the origins of fantastical beings
Kangaroos Communicate With Humans Like Dogs in Experiments
The study suggests people may have previously underestimated the communication abilities of other non-domesticated species
Ivory From 16th-Century Shipwreck Yields Clues to African Elephants' Decline
Researchers extracted DNA from tusks found in the wreckage of the "Bom Jesus," a treasure-laden vessel that sank in 1533
The Top Ten Ocean Stories of 2020
From the discovery of a giant coral reef pinnacle to a shocking estimate of plastics on the seafloor, these were the biggest marine moments of the year
First Case of Covid-19 in a Wild Animal Found in a Utah Mink
The U.S. Department of Agriculture detected the infection while testing wild animals around a mink farm with a Covid-19 outbreak
Four-Month-Old Ravens Rival Adult Great Apes in a Battle of the Brains
In a series of cognitive tests, the corvids surprised scientists with their ability to interact with each other and with the world around them
These Conservation Stories Prove 2020 Was Not All Bad News
From the Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism team, comes a surprising list of successful efforts making a difference
Study Offers Hope for Tasmanian Devils, Once Thought Doomed by Infectious Cancer
In the late 1990s, one affected devil infected an average of 3.5 others, but now each only infects about one
These Non-Lethal Methods Encouraged by Science Can Keep Wolves From Killing Livestock
Experts say old, repurposed techniques and new technologies may be better than bullets at curbing attacks by the predators
Asian Bees Plaster Hives With Feces to Defend Against Hornet Attacks
Researchers say the surprising behavior could constitute tool use, which would be a first for honey bees
Dogs Can't Tell the Difference Between Similar-Sounding Words
Sit, sat or set? It's all the same to Fido as long as you give him a treat
Earth's Harshest Ecosystems May Birth New Species Fastest
A genetic study of nearly 1,300 different birds suggests places with fewer species spit out new ones more frequently than biodiversity hotspots
Researchers Catch Oldest Tropical Reef Fish Known to Science
Researchers caught the 81-year-old midnight snapper off the coast of Western Australia
Ten Exquisite Creatures That Once Roamed the Earth
From Smithsonian Books, comes a magnificent tome to highlight evolution's greatest hits
In Winter, Pandas Love to Roll in Horse Poop
To deal with crappy weather, the black-and-white bears may be slathering themselves in feces to stay warm
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