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Biology

How badly do you want those fries?

New Research

What Does Science Say About the Five-Second Rule? It’s Complicated

The real world is a lot more nuanced than this simple rule reflects

What kept giraffes apart so long that they developed into separate species?

New Research

There Are Four Giraffe Species—Not Just One

The downside to this revelation: several of the new species are critically endangered

New Research

Unnerving Find: Cells That Control Goosebumps and Nipple Erections

A new study documents eight new types of nerve cells, including ones that control sweating and blood flow

Cool Finds

Rare Great White Shark Nursery Discovered Off the Coast of New York

Researchers find North Atlantic great whites spend their first 20 years in the waters off Montauk, Long Island

These glow-in-the-dark roaches have the goods.

I Am Officially in Love With Cockroaches

And after you read this, you will be too

The Dog Aging Project Wants to Help Your Pet Live Longer

Biologists at the University of Washington are launching a long-term study that involves testing medications that could enhance dogs’ life spans

Adonis, a Bosnian pine, is the new oldest tree in Europe

Cool Finds

Celebrating at Least 1,075 Years, This Pine Could Be Europe’s Oldest Tree

The Bosnian pine stands in a forest of ancient trees in the Pindus Mountains

New Research

Soon Everyone Will Be Able to Read NASA-Funded Research

Get ready for a lot more space science

Just a handful of key animals—mostly charismatic megafauna and a few economically important species—make up the bulk of conservation research efforts.

Scientists Know They Should Really Study Important Bugs but OMG a Baby Cheetah

In conservation science, the cutest animals still get all the attention

We're gonna need a bigger tank.

Age of Humans

Ginormous Goldfish Are Invading Australian Rivers

Abandoned by their owners, the fish run rampant and impact the environment

New Research

Eerie Video Shows How Coral Bleaches

Time-lapse video captures the coral’s convulsions while it expels the algae that give it color

A nesting male with a female in his nest.

New Research

Give it Up, Sneaky Males: These Lady Fish Have You Outwitted

Female ocellated wrasses have developed a surprising trick to control who fathers their offspring

Researcher release bumblebees in a greenhouse at the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens

New Research

This Deadly Plant Virus Attracts Bees

The cucumber mosaic virus alters the scent of tomato plants to attract more bees to their ailing hosts

Sharks are a broad and diverse group of species, but in the public imagination we tend to treat them all the same.

Humans Have Promoted the Reef Shark to Apex Predator

How these diverse predators ended up getting all the credit

Trending Today

EU Releases Its First Invasive Species Blacklist

Gray squirrels, raccoons and crayfish were among the prohibited species

An eastern wolf in Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park.

Rare Wolf or Common Coyote? It Shouldn’t Matter, But It Does

The concept of species is flawed, but it still has a huge bearing on conservation policy

A silverfish

New Research

Richer Homes Are Also Richer in Biodiversity

Scientists find that wealthier neighborhoods sport a greater diversity of bugs

How to Visit the Florida Keys Like a NASA Aquanaut

To prepare for space, astronauts spend some time under the sea

A pair of Scinax alcatraz frogs discreetly lay their eggs in a water-filled plant.

When Frogs Pull the Curtain: The Benefits of Mating in Secret

Smithsonian’s new curator of frogs explains why some frogs seek privacy when they mate

Corvette Stingray

These Sleek, Sexy Cars Were All Inspired By Fish

You’ve heard about the Stingray, but what about the Bionic Boxfish?

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