Articles tagged as Water | Smithsonian Magazine

A few days after a New Zealand river gained the rights of personhood, an Indian court has declared that two heavily polluted rivers also have legal status

March 23, 2017

A scanning electron microscope image of the water bear.

New Research

How the Remarkable Tardigrade Springs Back to Life after Drying Out

A particular protein helps these these tiny critters survive dehydration for over a decade at a time

March 20, 2017

The Whanganui River has finally been granted legal status.

It’s the end of more than a century of struggle

March 17, 2017

Computer-simulated global view of Venus.

Think Big

The Case for Going to Venus

Sending a probe to Earth’s lifeless twin could help us understand how life rises—and falls—on faraway planets

March 15, 2017

A close call at Lake Oroville raises questions about the safety of America's dams.

A quiet crisis is afoot as the nation’s infrastructure ages

March 7, 2017

"I shall call him Squishy, and he shall be mine." No, wait, that's Finding Nemo.

Cool Finds

Take a Peek at the Mesmerizing “Cosmic Jellyfish”

NOAA’s research vessel Okeanos Explorer filmed this specimen of Rhopalonematid trachymedusa in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa

March 1, 2017

Bleached coral discovered earlier this month at Maureen's Cove in the Great Barrier Reef

After the worst die-off in the reef’s history in 2016, scientists are worried that high sea temperatures will affect the area again

February 27, 2017

Strong atmospheric river events are driving record precipitation across the state of California.

Rivers in the Atmosphere Converge to Give California a Huge Downpour

All aboard the Pineapple Express

February 24, 2017

Check Out Yosemite’s “Firefall” Illusion Light Up El Capitan

The firefall is back this year, and it’s just as spectacular as ever

February 17, 2017

Lake Oroville's dam is in danger of breach—but California's drought is still far from over.

Look beneath the surface for an unresolved water crisis

February 14, 2017

A view into Flint drinking water pipes, showing various types of iron corrosion and rust.

New Research

Scientists Now Know Exactly How Lead Got Into Flint’s Water

New report points blames corrosion and warns that fixing lead poisoning nationwide will require more work than we hoped

February 3, 2017

Incredible: This Underwater Spider Has an Actual Scuba Tank

The scuba spider is the only arachnid to live exclusively underwater, despite lacking gills. Its secret is a makeshift oxygen supply

January 10, 2017

Throw one back in honor of Robert Leo Hulseman, the inventor of America's most iconic cup.

There’s just something about Solo cups

December 29, 2016

New Research

Scientists Find That Water Might Exist in a Whole New State

Think water comes in just liquid, ice and gas? Think again

December 22, 2016

Barbara Sherwood Lollar sampling dissolved hydrogen and sulfate found in the oldest-known pool of water.

New Research

Scientists Discover the Oldest-known Pool of Water

But you wouldn’t want to drink from it

December 19, 2016

Hippo Climbs Down a Steep Cliff…With Difficulty

A 15-foot male hippo carefully negotiates his enormous body down a sheer cliff. It’s the shortest and most direct route to the water

December 9, 2016

A flock of snow geese safely land on a lake at the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware.

Despite attempts to scare them away, thousands of geese landed on the acidic Berkeley Pit, which is full of toxic heavy metals

December 8, 2016

Surface water seasonality between October 2014 and October 2015 in the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. Dark blue indicates permanent surface water; light blue indicates seasonal surface water.

New Research

High-Resolution Satellite Images Capture Stunning View of Earth’s Changing Waters

An unprecedented mapping project shows the elusive patterns of Earth’s surface water over 30 years

December 7, 2016

“Current” would turn the entire stretch of the river into a dynamic, multi-colored piece of art.

Cool Finds

Ambitious New Public Art Project Will Turn the Thames Into an Illuminated Canvas

When Illuminated River launches in 2018, it will be the biggest such project ever undertaken

December 5, 2016

With its peace accords up in the air, the Colombia's diverse ecosystems face an uncertain future. Shown here: the valley of Cocora near Salento, Colombia.

How Colombia’s Failed Peace Treaty Could Wreak Havoc on Its Diversity-Rich Ecosystems

A potential influx of legal and illegal mining leaves the country’s megadiverse landscapes—and the communities who depend on them—in jeopardy

Updated: December 1, 2016 | Originally Published: November 4, 2016