Tree Rings Bear Witness to Illegal Gold Mining Operations in the Amazon, New Study Finds
Mercury concentrations in fig trees could provide useful information about mining activity in the rainforest over time
A New Satellite Will Map the Carbon Content of Rainforests From Space, and It’s Set to Launch This Month
The European Space Agency’s new probe, Biomass, will spend five years orbiting the planet and gathering radar imagery of forests across multiple continents
Being Struck by Lightning Is No Big Deal for This Tropical Tree—the Zap Even Gives It a Boost
The almendro tree may have evolved to attract lightning, which helps clear more space for it to grow, according to new research
Nearly Half of the Colorful and Charismatic Heliconia Tropical Plant Species Are Threatened With Extinction, New Study Reveals
Using data from over 10,000 herbarium specimens, Smithsonian scientists uncover the urgent conservation needs of the plants, which are critical to tropical ecosystems
Birds-of-Paradise Glow to Attract Mates, Adding a Flashy Element to Their Impressive Courtship Displays
Scientists find that 82 percent of birds-of-paradise species show biofluorescence, often on their feathers, throat or inner mouth
Expedition Discovers 27 New Species in Peru, From an ‘Exceedingly Rare’ Amphibious Mouse to a Blob-Headed Fish
The hidden creatures were found in a densely populated region known for its successful—and controversial—conservation tactics
More Than One in Three Tree Species Around the Globe Are at Risk of Disappearing, New Report Finds
An assessment from the International Union for Conservation of Nature paints a grim picture of the extinction risk of the world’s trees
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Bask in the Beauty of Brazil With These 15 Stunning Photographs
These selections from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest images capture this South American paradise
Why Are Giant, Ancient Tropical Trees Dying?
Scientists from an international project are racing to figure out what kills these anchors of their ecosystems—before it’s too late to save them
No, Dinosaurs Did Not Trudge Through Thick Rainforests
The first jungles dense with flowering plants only formed after an asteroid impact wiped out the giant creatures
Archaeologists Discover Ancient Cities Hidden in the Ecuadorean Amazon
Laser imaging has revealed an extensive network of settlements and roads that challenge historical understandings of the area
Scientists Find ‘Lost’ Echidna Species for the First Time in 60 Years
An expedition team in Indonesia spotted the elusive, egg-laying mammal, which is named after David Attenborough and had not been documented since 1961
The World’s Largest and Smelliest Flower Is at Risk of Extinction, Scientists Say
Researchers are calling for urgent protections for corpse flowers in the Rafflesia genus, which live only in remote rainforests of Southeast Asia
Ecuadorean Voters Reject Oil Drilling in the Amazon’s Yasuní National Park
The section of rainforest is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world and home to several Indigenous communities
Deforestation Is Linked to Lower Rainfall, Study Says
The Amazon rainforest and other tropical regions face drying climates due to loss of trees
Chimpanzees Play Their Own Signature Drumbeats to Stay in Touch
New research suggests the animals broadcast their identity and location to find each other while traveling
Wildfires Reached a Five-Year High in the Brazilian Amazon
Rapid deforestation has made the rainforest more vulnerable to flames, experts say
The Last Member of an Uncontacted Tribe in Brazil Has Died
Known as “the Man of the Hole,” he lived in isolation for more than two decades
Into the Forbidden Forest
Famed American biologist Patricia Wright explores an astonishing breadth of biodiversity in the wilderness of Madagascar
Climate Change Is Transforming the Bodies of Amazonian Birds
A 40-year study found 77 species of rainforest birds weigh less on average, and many have longer wings, than they used to
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