South America

Cattle tyrants usually follow behind grazing animals to snap up insects for food.

South American Bird Makes Rare Appearance in Texas, Thousands of Miles From Home

Birders are driving hours to Corpus Christi for a chance to spot the cattle tyrant, which has never been observed in the United States before

Striated caracaras are falcons, but they don't act much like other birds of prey.

These Brainy Falcons Are Smarter Than You Might Think

Striated caracaras solved up to eight puzzle box problems in a new study, suggesting they are cognitively complex, like crows and parrots

The horned marsupial frog, which carries its eggs in a pouch on its back, lives in the canopy of tropical rainforests.

The Surprise Reappearance of a Rare Frog Has Scientists Leaping to Protect Its Habitat

The marsupial frog, which incubates its young in a pouch on its back, was thought to be extinct in some countries

Hippos swimming close to the Magdalena River in Doradal, Colombia.

Pablo Escobar's Multiplying 'Cocaine Hippos' Will Be Sterilized in Colombia

The country’s hippo population has grown to about 170, and officials warn it could reach 1,000 individuals by 2035 if left uncontrolled

Researchers are still trying to confirm the cause of death, but they suspect the high water temperatures are to blame.

At Least 125 River Dolphins Have Died Amid Drought and Heat in Brazilian Amazon

Though the pink animals' cause of death is not confirmed, temperatures in the remote Lake Tefé reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit in late September

A silky anteater, small enough to sit comfortably in your palm, rests in the canopy of a mangrove forest in Brazil’s Parnaíba Delta.

This Fluffy Little Anteater May Be a New Species

The animals eke out a living in a pocket of mangroves on Brazil’s Atlantic coast

Researchers have only discovered a small fraction of the pre-Columbian earthworks in the Amazon rainforest, according to new research.

The Amazon May Be Hiding More Than 10,000 Pre-Columbian Structures

Based on a new aerial survey and modeling study, archaeologists suggest at least 90 percent of sites known as earthworks remain undetected

Aerial photo of the Tiputini Processing Center of state-owned Petroecuador in Yasuni National Park, northeastern Ecuador. 

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

Researchers think that servants maintained the site year round, while royals only came to Machu Picchu during the dry season.

Servants at Machu Picchu Came From Distant Corners of the Inca Empire

The city's servant class was a genetically diverse community, according to a new study of ancient DNA

Scientists found that carvings on the bones of giant sloths were made within a few years of the animals' deaths.

Humans May Have Arrived in the Americas Earlier Than Previously Thought

Researchers say that humans coexisted with giant sloths in Brazil some 25,0000 years ago

The company has chosen the MV Lara for the 36-month journey.

Would You Spend Three Years Living on a Cruise Ship?

Some enthusiasts are selling their homes in preparation, while others have balked at the risks

After more than 100 years, Germany returned two centuries-old masks to Colombia's Indigenous Kogi community.

Germany Returns Sacred Wooden Masks to Colombia

In Berlin, the centuries-old artifacts were treated with chemicals that could pose health hazards

The European spaceport near Kourou, French Guiana, is an important launch site for rockets.

How a Jungle Prison Became a Famous Spaceport

An anthropologist explains how the South American launch site for the James Webb Space Telescope evolved

An illustration of Diamantinasaurus matildae

Rare 95-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Skull Uncovered in Australia

The first-of-its-kind find reveals how sauropods may have moved between Australia and South America during the mid-Cretaceous

Researchers think the artists may have been experimenting with how to depict movement.

Archaeologists Discover 1,400-Year-Old Murals of Two-Faced Men in Peru

The new finds are shedding light on the Moche people, who lived on Peru's northern coast

Theodore Roosevelt, right, and Cândido Rondon, second from right, led the fateful mission to map an uncharted waterway and document natural wonders.

Teddy Roosevelt’s Perilous Expedition on the Amazon

The dangerous—yet victorious—trip wouldn’t have been possible without Cândido Rondon, an icon of Brazilian history

Officials in Peru closed Machu Picchu following security concerns and damage to nearby railways.

Machu Picchu Reopens Following Weeks of Civil Unrest

Authorities, protesters and businesses came to an agreement to ensure the site's safety

Officials in Peru closed Machu Picchu following security concerns and damage to nearby railways.

Peru Closes Machu Picchu Amid Anti-Government Protests

More than 50 people have died as demonstrations escalate and police crack down on dissent

Machu Picchu, a 15th-century Inca structure in the Andes Mountains

Helicopters Evacuate Travelers Stranded at Machu Picchu

Hundreds of tourists found themselves trapped at the site as protests spread through Peru

The new Smithsonian show examines the foundational contributions of Latinos in shaping the history and culture of the United States. 

You Can Now Preview the Upcoming Latino Museum

New exhibition "¡Presente!" aims to show how Latinos shaped American history

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