Science | smithsonianmag.com

Inside the Herculean Effort to Study and Save the World's Smallest Sea Turtle

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

After years of steady gains, a decades-long conservation program dedicated to the Kemp's ridley hits rough seas

The Six Most Amazing Discoveries We’ve Made by Exploring Uranus

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Its bland exterior belies a dynamic world full of surprises

See Stunning Illustrations of Prehistoric Life From One of the Most Renowned Paleoartists in the World

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A new book highlights the beautiful work of Jay Matternes, an accomplished artist who drew everything from mammoths to early humans

What Happens to a Tree That Dies in a Forest?

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Rotting logs turn out to be vital to forest biodiversity and recycling organic matter

How a Fragile Insect Living 100 Million Years Ago Becomes a Fossil

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A bug, a dinosaur and a tree intersect, creating the perfect conditions for resin to capture a moment in time

A Brief and Amazing History of Our Search for Life in the Clouds

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

By collecting samples after climbing a high peak and firing rockets with special traps into the upper atmosphere, scientists have found microbes living in thin air

Why Does Laughter Have Such a Strange Power Over Us?

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

An anthropologist explores why the phenomenon has the ability to delight, disturb and disrupt

The Truth About the Sex Lives of Dinosaurs

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:27:30 +0000

Fossils are providing more and more clues about how dinosaurs attracted one another and reproduced, which contributed to their remarkable ability to populate much of the Earth

Will the Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry End the Pangolin?

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

The creature is being trafficked across Africa and Asia to fuel a steady demand for their scales, an ingredient in unproven remedies

Can a Small Town’s Protections for Albino Squirrels Inspire Other Cities to Guard Wildlife Against Cats?

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Olney, Illinois, has taken steps to protect an iconic mammal from domesticated felines, setting a possible model for other places to follow

Five Unusual Ways People Used Lead—and Suffered For It

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Cultures throughout history have put lead to use for wacky and often deeply poisonous purposes

What Did Scientists Learn After Thousands of Penguins Were Slaughtered by Mountain Lions?

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

The thriving bird colonies likely grew over several decades because local shepherds had temporarily eliminated pumas

Astronomers Suspect Colliding Supermassive Black Holes Left the Universe Awash in Gravitational Waves

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Radio telescopes tracking signals from spinning, ultra-dense stars point to ripples in the fabric of space

Only 50 Rice's Whales Are Left. Can We Do Enough to Protect Them Before It's Too Late?

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In 2021, researchers identified a new whale species and are now scrambling to save their natural habitat

The Search to Find the Remains of Homo Erectus in a Vanishing Landscape

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A paleontologist journeys through Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago in search of our earliest ancestors, and uncovers how environmental devastation has erased much of the region’s history

See 15 Stunning Photos of Superb Owls to Kick Off This Year's Super Bowl Weekend

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

These snapshots of the majestic bird in flight and in trees will leave your soul soaring

Why Auroras Are Suddenly Everywhere All at Once

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:00:06 +0000

Auroras have long mystified humanity. Now that we know what they are and why they happen, we can better predict how best to experience them

Here’s How the Los Angeles Wildfires Are Affecting Animals, From Fish to Snakes to Birds

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 18:11:33 +0000

While scientists were able to save and move some creatures in the aftermath, researchers are worried about the prospects for other species

See 15 Adorable Photos of Playful, Picture-Perfect Penguins

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show just why penguins have waddled into our hearts

How A.I. Can Help Humans Battle Wildfires, From Advanced Camera Systems to Forecasting Models

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A variety of new technologies aim to improve wildfire detection and help map the spread of blazes

Six Clever Snakes to Celebrate as We Slither Into the Lunar New Year

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:29:36 +0000

These fascinating serpents embody acclaimed qualities including cunning and intelligence

Welcome to the Pyrocene

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Human use of fire has produced an era of uncontrolled burning

How a Hawaiian High School Student Inspired Nine New State Animals

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Researchers hope the designation of several species of land snails, or kāhuli, will lead to conservation

How a Mass Extinction Driven by Ancient Volcanoes Led to the Age of the Dinosaurs

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Roughly 201 million years ago, drastic changes extinguished many forms of life and led to conditions that allowed the terrible lizards to thrive

A Los Angeles Photographer Captures the Devastating Fires Threatening His Beloved Community

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 21:39:03 +0000

Ivan Kashinsky has traveled the world for Smithsonian magazine, but when disaster struck earlier this month, he rushed home to point his lens at his own neighborhood

Why Is Every Human Being Riddled With Genetic Errors?

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Your body is a collection of cells carrying thousands of genetic mistakes accrued over a lifetime—many harmless, some bad and at least a few that may be good for you

How Scientists and Composers Teamed Up to Create a Stunning Natural Version of Colombia’s National Anthem

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 21:01:43 +0000

A team trekked for two weeks and collected the sounds of birds, frogs, a jaguar and whales in order to make the song

What Have We Learned From Intentionally Infecting People With Covid-19?

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Challenge trials help researchers study immune responses. Skeptics still doubt the approach is worth the risks

Inside One Scientist’s Quest to Understand Why Climate Change Is Making Europe’s Highest Peak More Dangerous

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Geomorphologist and veteran climber Ludovic Ravanel is learning how Mont Blanc is shifting—and sharing his discoveries with the Alpine community