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Biology

The skittish cat was spotted in Uganda's Kibale National Park.

Cool Finds

Rare Cat Caught on Camera…Attacking a Monkey

Africa’s most elusive wild cat makes a rare daytime appearance

Naked mole rats are likely contenders for the most hideously adorable creature on Earth - but also one of the longest lived.

New Research

The Secret to a Long Life: Be Cooperative and Live Underground

Naked mole rats enjoy exceptionally long, healthy lives, and there’s more than good genes at work

New Research

Young Blood Rejuvenates Older Tissues

Experiments in surgically joined lab animals that share blood have inspired anti-aging hopes

New Research

Here’s Why Sharks Prefer Salt Water

New research shows that sharks sink in fresh water

A new study shows that birds do not seem to recognize how fast a vehicle is approaching.

New Research

Planes Fly Too Fast for Birds to Dodge

New research shows that birds are not adept at avoiding obstacles at such high speeds

An albino bottlenose dolphin, like this one but without its melanin, was spotted off the coast of Florida in December.

Cool Finds

An Albino Dolphin Was Spotted Off the Coast of Florida

It is only the 15th albino dolphin sighting recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Black bears, like this one in Minnesota, which lick ants from leaves are providing an important benefit to the plant.

New Research

Bears Munching on Ants Indirectly Help Plants

A link uncovered by a graduate student shows that plants have bears to thank for trimming them of ants — and another pesky species

The rim of white light emanating from the disco clam's lips in this image seems to be its best defense against a predator.

Cool Finds

Disco Clams Are Flashy

Their orange lips twinkle in a particularly funky display

Our Answers to the Most Burning Questions of 2014

Here are the ten most popular installments of “Ask Smithsonian” this year

Arachnophobia, coral reefs, artificial cells and strange amphibians starred in some of this year's science finds you might have missed.

Ten Cool Science Stories You May Have Missed in 2014

ICYMI, there’s a newfound coral reef in Iraq, the smallest force has been detected and more in this year’s surprising science

Cool Finds

Meet The Culprits Behind Bright Lights And Strange Floaters in Your Vision

So-called entoptic phenomena remind us that what we see isn’t always a clear view of the world around us

The way cancer cells process zinc might help scientists identify a new biomarker.

Using Zinc to Detect Breast Cancer Early

Researchers at Oxford have taken the first step towards finding a new biomarker for breast cancer

How to Create a Virtual Organism

Through OpenWorm, scientists are hoping to allow anyone with a computer to unlock the secrets of animal behavior

Fat cells.

New Research

Now We Know Where Fat Goes When We Lose Weight

We breathe it out

7th Place: Butter daisy (Melampodium divaricatum) flower at 2x magnification. Fluorescence. Oleksandr Holovachov, Ekuddsvagen, Sweden.

Some of the Most Beautiful Things in Nature Come in the Tiniest of Packages

The winners of the 2014 Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition capture a rat brain, the mouthparts of a vampire moth and other small wonders

New Research

When Sperm Meets Egg, Zinc Sparks Fly

Billions of tiny zinc particles explode from the surface of mammalian eggs when a sperm cell touches down

Lab-grown beef—it could be dinner.

Five Animal Products Scientists Can Now Grow In a Lab

In early experiments, scientists are growing meat in vitro and bioengineering yeast for dairy

New Research

You’ve Never Seen Nerve Endings Like These

Scientists produce the most detailed images of nerve endings ever made

This Plant-Based Gel Stops Bleeding in Seconds

A salve that seals severe wounds is making its way to veterinary clinics. Military and trauma testing may soon follow

Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) fight. Infanticide in baboons is driven by a mating structure built on male competition.

Why Some Mammals Kill Babies of Their Own Kind

Male mammals that commit infanticide developed the behavior in response to their species’ mating style

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