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Animals

Flamingos were nearly hunted to extinction for their feathers by the early 1900s. But, thanks in part to conservation and habitat restoration efforts, they're making a comeback in Florida. This flamingo was spotted in Miami Beach in 2018.

More Than a Century Ago, Flamingos Disappeared From Florida. Now, They’re Coming Home

Likely transported by Hurricane Idalia last August, more than 100 of the pink birds were counted in a February census in the Sunshine State, where they are considered a native species

Charlotte is a round stingray, a species named for its circular, disk-shaped body.

‘Pregnant Virgin’ Stingray Won’t Give Birth After All—Here’s Why

Charlotte, a female round stingray in North Carolina who has gathered a legion of online fans, is no longer pregnant due to a “rare reproductive disease”

The fossilized remains include the most intact skull of the bird to be discovered, which helps scientists to better understand the bird's behavior, appearance and evolution.

Paleontologists Uncover Rare Skull of 500-Pound ‘Thunder Bird’ in Australia

The most complete skull of the extinct, flightless bird ever found has revealed adaptations that might have made the creature well-adapted for a life near water

The graves were found in central France during an excavation of a site containing mostly fifth- and sixth-century development.

Cool Finds

These 28 Horses Were Buried in an Ancient Mass Grave. How Did They Die?

Archaeologists are puzzled by the 2,000-year-old burial site uncovered in central France

A blue-eyed cicada that's on exhibit at the Field Musum in Chicago. Four-year-old Jack Bailey found the bug in his yard, and his family donated it to the museum.

People Are Spotting Rare, Blue-Eyed Cicadas Around Illinois

As two broods of periodical cicadas emerge across the U.S. this spring, people have discovered a few of the bugs that don’t have their trademark red eyes

The researchers used drone footage and tracking devices to analyze the behavior of 11 orcas in the northern Pacific Ocean.

Between Dives, Orcas Take Only a Single Breath

A new study finds the black-and-white marine mammals tend to make shorter, shallower dives compared to humpback and blue whales, making orcas the “sprinters” of the ocean

The sympathetic nervous system was thought to have evolved with jawed vertebrates. But lampreys—jawless, parasitic fish that suck out the blood of their hosts—have a simple one, per recent research.

Eerie Lampreys Hint at the Origins of Our ‘Fight-or-Flight’ Response and Sympathetic Nervous System

The jawless, parasitic fish largely haven’t changed over the last 340 million years, but they might be better sources for studying our own evolution than thought, a recent study suggests

Scientists trained three carrion crows to produce one, two, three or four vocalizations based on various visual or auditory cues.

Crows Can ‘Count’ Up to Four Like Human Toddlers, Study Suggests

Three carrion crows engaged in a simplified version of counting when prompted, and the birds showed signs of planning out their responses

Bao Li, a 2-year-old male, is the son of Bao Bao, who was born at the Zoo in 2013.

Pandamonium

Giant Pandas Are Coming Back to Washington, D.C.

A pair of the bears will arrive at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo by the end of 2024

African wild dogs might use facial expressions to communicate with each other as they hunt in packs on the savanna.

Wild Dogs Have Muscles for ‘Puppy Eyes,’ Suggesting the Cute Expression Did Not Evolve Just for Humans

African wild dogs have the same well-developed eye muscles that domestic dogs use to make their signature pleading faces, a recent study finds

Archaeologists have been studying the pet cemetery since it was first discovered in 2011.

Cool Finds

Letters Written by Ancient Roman Commanders Have Been Found in a Pet Cemetery in Egypt

Discovered among the graves of hundreds of cats, dogs and monkeys, the correspondence was likely written by centurions in the first century

A greater spotted eagle soars through the sky.

Imperiled Eagles Are Altering Their Migration Routes to Avoid the War in Ukraine

Researchers found that greater spotted eagles migrated longer distances and made fewer rest stops following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, compared to previous years

All dog breeds are welcome on Bark Air, though humans must be at least 18 to fly.

A New Airline for Dogs Takes Flight

Bark Air made its inaugural flight from New York and Los Angeles this week. But seats are pricey, costing up to $8,000

Marc Händel, an archaeologist with the Austrian Academy of Sciences, excavates rib bones in the wine cellar.

Austrian Man Discovers Hundreds of Mammoth Bones While Renovating His Wine Cellar

Owner Andreas Pernerstorfer thought he’d found a piece of wood, but then he remembered something his grandfather had said about finding teeth in the cellar decades ago

A sea turtle enters the waters of the Galápagos Islands to join divers who are exploring its home.

Celebrate World Turtle Day With 15 Photographs of the Delightful Reptiles

These shots from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo contest show why turtles are so terrific

At least 138 howler monkeys have been found dead in the Mexican state of Tabasco since May 16.

Mexico’s Howler Monkeys Are Dying, ‘Falling Out of the Trees,’ Amid Scorching Heat Wave

Veterinarians and volunteers are trying to save the threatened primates by hoisting buckets of water and food into trees, as well as providing medical care

German cockroaches took advantage of human globalization to spread all over the world.

DNA Reveals How German Cockroaches Came to Dominate the World

A new paper looks at the genes of the most common cockroach species, tracing its historical journey alongside humans, from Asia to the Middle East, Europe and beyond

Beachcombers stumbled upon the fish south of Cannon Beach, a small coastal town in northwest Oregon.

Beachcombers Discover Rare, Deep-Sea Anglerfish Washed Up on Oregon Coast

Most humans will never see a Pacific footballfish, as the creatures live at depths of 2,000 to 3,300 feet below the ocean’s surface

A painted drum carved with phoenixes and tigers (circa 300 B.C.E.)

Why Is Chinese Art Full of Dragons, Phoenixes and Tigers?

A new exhibition showcases stunning mythical artworks of the Zhou Dynasty’s “lost” kingdoms

A tuna crab on the sand in San Diego in 2002, a year when large numbers of the creatures washed up on shore.

Why Are Tuna Crabs Swarming Off the Coast of San Diego?

Scientists are perplexed by the massive group of crustaceans, but they suspect the animals were pushed north by strong ocean currents originating near Mexico

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