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Animals

Frozen DNA evidence trapped in soil suggests that mammoth and wild horse populations petered out slowly, instead of vanishing quickly.

Mammoth and Horse DNA Left in Freezer Rewrite Ice Age Extinctions

New research reveals the ancient animals survived some 8,000 years later than previously thought

Human-caused pollution is killing the seagrass that manatees feed on.

Florida Wildlife Officials Move to Feed Starving Manatees in Experimental Conservation Approach

The unprecedented feeding plan comes as more than 1,000 manatees—about 15 percent of the state’s total population—have died this year

A squid swims in the dark waters of the Mediterranean. Billions of aquatic animals, from krill to squid, travel to surface waters each night, a migration that scientists are only beginning to fully grasp.

What Drives Aquatic Animals to Make Vertical Migrations?

Researchers are trying to shed light on what leads many water dwellers—from plankton to large fish—to commute daily from the depths to the surface

While the material is mushroom-based, MycoWorks creates its rigid patented material by engineering mycelium cells as they grow into 3-D structures that intertwine themselves so densely, it makes a tough material, dubbed Fine Mycelium. The material has the strength, durability, and performance as traditional leather.    

This Mushroom-Based Leather Could Be the Next Sustainable Fashion Material

Currently marketed as a luxury fabric, Fine Mycelium is carbon-neutral and can be grown to order

Plastic makes up 80 percent of all marine debris found, from surface waters to deep-sea sediments 

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Hosts Life in the Open Ocean

Coastal plants and animals are thriving on the plastic debris, posing potential ecological risks

Four different audio recorders placed in different regions of the north-western Arctic collected eight years' worth of acoustic data, providing a sneak peek into the lives of cetaceans.

As Arctic Sea Ice Retreats, Orcas Are on the Move, Spurring Changes in the Food Chain

Acoustic recordings reveal the marine behemoths are moving into once icy areas, which causes competition for resources with other species

Cat owners can keep themselves, their pets, and wildlife safe by keeping their feline indoors.

Outdoor Pet Cats Are Spreading a Brain Parasite to Wildlife

It is one of the most common parasites in the world and has infected approximately one-third of people globally, including some 40 million Americans

Until recently, scientists knew relatively little about the lives of birds on the open North Atlantic. But a group of researchers has identified a habitat in the ocean teeming with great shearwaters and other seabirds.

Regulators Look to Protect a Seabird Hotspot in the Middle of the Atlantic Ocean

Scientists have identified a key seabird feeding ground in need of safeguarding

Jan Piecha earned a spot as a finalist with their picture of three young raccoons, titled "Secrets." 

Ten Hilarious Winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

The annual contest is a joyful celebration of the natural world

An arena consisting of a plexiglass box, infrared lights and cameras captured the spiders' delicate movements.

Using Night Vision and A.I., Scientists Recorded Spiders’ Entire Choreography for Web Building

This research could shed light on how the circuits in our own minds work since animal brains are built out of the ‘same fundamental building blocks’

This composite photograph shows the bison herd with one of the newly discovered petroglyphs overlaid on the sky.

Bison in Canada Discover Ancient Petroglyphs, Fulfilling an Indigenous Prophecy

Reintroduced to Wanuskewin Heritage Park in 2019, the animals’ hooves uncovered four 1,000-year-old rock carvings

Researchers looked for eight specific neurological and behavioral criteria that indicate sentience, such as the ability to learn and feel pain.

Lobsters, Crabs and Octopuses Will Now Receive Welfare Protection as ‘Sentient Beings’ in the U.K.

The report outlines recommendations for best practices to reduce animal cruelty and suffering

Spider keeper Jake Meney holding the "megaspider" that was donated to the Australian Reptile Park.

This Australian Zoo Is Milking Its Giant Funnel Web Spider to Make Lifesaving Antivenom

The Australian Reptile Park says the arachnid—nicknamed ‘Megaspider’—is the largest individual of this species they’ve ever seen

An eastern barred bandicoot explores its space in the Werribee Open Range Zoo.

How Australia’s Eastern Barred Bandicoot Came Back From Extinction

With help from a captive breeding program and the watchful eyes of sheepdogs, the small mammal has been reintroduced to the country’s plains

Rising water sent arachnids like the Arabian fat-tailed scorpion fleeing into local villages.

Scorpions Swept Into Egyptian Homes by Floods Sting More Than 500 People

Rising water following a rare storm in Aswan forced the arachnids out of their underground burrows in search of dry land

Jeffrey Peter, of Old Crow, Yukon, cleans a caribou hide during an autumn hunt. When camping, the hide is used as a mattress; at home, it’s clothing.

For the Gwich’in People, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Isn’t a Political Issue, It’s Home

Journey to the far north of Alaska, where the Indigenous communities hunt caribou, the backbone of the region’s ecosystem

One reader wonders why more flowers and fruits aren't blue-hued.

Ask Smithsonian

Why Are So Few Flowers and Fruits Blue? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Scientists counted more than 10,000 teeth to find out how quickly the fish regrows its lost chompers.

This Fish Loses and Regrows 20 Teeth Each Day

The Pacific lingcod replaces its 500-plus teeth at a rapid pace, according to new research

The special lobster will spend the rest of her life at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire.

Rare ‘Cotton Candy’ Blue Lobster Is a 1-in-100 Million Catch

The crustacean’s bizarre blue hue could be due to genetics or diet

A Magdalena River turtle hatchling

Inside the Local Movement to Recover Colombia’s River Turtles

In river basins across the country, communities are working to protect the endangered and endemic reptiles

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