Animals
Scientists Clone Two Black-Footed Ferrets From Frozen Tissues in Conservation Effort
The aim of cloning the animals is to increase the genetic diversity of the endangered species
Scientists Translate Sleeping Birds' Silent Songs Into Sound—and They May Have Recorded a Nightmare
Using surgically implanted electrodes and modeling, researchers brought to life the vocal muscle activity of sleeping great kiskadees
Extensive Desert 'Lava Tubes' Sheltered Humans for 7,000 Years, Archaeologists Find
Formed after volcanic activity, the underground caves periodically hosted early humans and their livestock in Saudi Arabia, facilitating cultural exchange
Scientists Uncover Bones of Massive Extinct Snake, Comparable in Size to the 43-Foot Titanoboa
The 27 vertebrae discovered in India suggest the enormous creature, dubbed Vasuki indicus, was between 36 and 50 feet long
11-Year-Old Uncovers Fossils of Giant Ichthyosaur in England, the Largest Marine Reptile Ever Found, Scientists Say
The jawbone fragments belonged to an 82-foot-long creature that represents a new species, according to a new study
Journey Under the Sea With 15 Amazing Photos of Marine Life
These Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest images feature the captivating creatures that live beneath the waves
What Happens When Animals Cross the Road
Our byways are an unnatural incursion into the natural world, especially when they’re allowed to fall into disuse. Meet a roadkill scientist and a journalist tracking how roads mess with nature—and what we can do about it
Hibernating Bumblebee Queens Can Survive Underwater for Up to a Week, Study Finds
Researchers discovered the insects’ unexpected superpower during an accidental laboratory snafu
What Flaco the Owl’s Death Teaches Us About Making Cities Safer for Birds
Ornithologists and conservationists say humans can take key steps to make urban environments less hazardous for our avian friends
Family Accidentally Ends Up With 50 Baby Octopuses After Their Pet—Thought to Be Male—Laid Dozens of Eggs
Now, the Oklahoma residents are working with aquariums and researchers that might take the babies
Peek Inside a California Condor Egg Just Before It Hatched, With This CT Scan of the Baby Bird
Last month, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance welcomed its 250th California condor chick in its breeding program, and the CT scan helped determine the bird was well-positioned for hatching
Male Bonobos, Close Human Relatives Long Thought to Be Peaceful, Are Actually Quite Aggressive, Study Suggests
The new research found bonobos were three times more likely than chimpanzees to commit an act of physical aggression
Did Ancient South Americans Keep Foxes as Pets?
At a cemetery in Argentina, a 1,500-year-old fox buried alongside humans suggests a "close relationship" between the species, researchers say
You Can Help Migrating Fish Traverse a Dutch Canal By Ringing This Digital 'Doorbell'
The live stream from the Netherlands, which lets viewers notify a boat lock operator when fish need to be let through, has become a popular pastime for people around the world
Tiny and Rare, a Blind Mole That 'Swims' Through Desert Sand Is Spotted in Australia
Typically seen just five to ten times per decade, the elusive species has now been found for the second time in six months
Why Do We Want to Squish and Squeeze Things That Are Cute? Science Has the Answer
The response dubbed “cute aggression” by researchers is the brain’s attempt to self-regulate when confronted with intense emotion
Why Do So Many Beetle Species Exist?
Diet played a key role in the evolution of the vast beetle family tree
A Michigan Hunter Thought He Killed a Large Coyote. It Turned Out to Be an Endangered Gray Wolf
Wildlife officials believe the animal was likely the first gray wolf spotted in the southern Lower Peninsula in 100 years
Adorable but Deadly Fluff Balls, Better Known as Pygmy Slow Lorises, Born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
The two babies are part of an endangered species whose unbearable cuteness has made them a target for wildlife traffickers
This Tiny Italian Island Is Giving Away Goats to Anyone Who Can Catch Them
An estimated 600 of the hoofed intruders are wreaking havoc on the two-square-mile island of Alicudi
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