Science & Nature | Smithsonian.com

High Hopes for a New Kind of Gene

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Scientists believe that microRNA may lead to breakthroughs in diagnosing and treating cancer

A Salute to the Wheel

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Always cited as the hallmark of man’s innovation, here is the real story behind the wheel – from its origins to its reinvention

ATM - Ant Eye View - July09

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:20:34 GMT

A new photo exhibit featuring the work of biologist Mark Moffett reminds us that we still live in an age of discovery

Catching a Wave

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Electrical engineer Annette von Jouanne is pioneering an ingenious way to generate clean, renewable electricity from the sea

Sylvia Pagán Westphal on “High Hopes for a New Kind of Gene”

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:03:26 GMT

Electrical engineer Annette von Jouanne is pioneering an ingenious way to generate clean, renewable electricity from the sea

Elizabeth Rusch on “Catching a Wave”

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:57:53 GMT

Electrical engineer Annette von Jouanne is pioneering an ingenious way to generate clean, renewable electricity from the sea

Birth of a Robot

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Can scientists build a machine that learns as it goes and plays well with others?

Wild Things - June09

Tue, 19 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Flight of the hummingbird, termite cloning and the rise of the octopus

Going Buggy at the New Audubon Museum

Thu, 14 May 2009 09:13:47 GMT

Crickets, spiders, ants and many other insects thrive in historic New Orleans, where kids and adults learn about creepy crawlers

Wild Things - July09

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Whale of a comeback, dancing cockatoos, sticky bees, and waltzing pond scum

Frontiers of Science

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:12:12 GMT

Smithsonian spotlights the men and women who are breaking new ground in the fields of science and technology

Discovering the Titanoboa

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

As part of a multi-organizational team, Smithsonian scientist Carlos Jaramillo uncovered the fossils of a gigantic snake

Invasion of the Lionfish

Fri, 08 May 2009 03:23:43 GMT

Voracious, venomous lionfish are the first exotic species to invade coral reefs. Now divers, fishermen—and cooks—are fighting back

National Zoo Celebrates Birth of Rare Clouded Leopards

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:08:48 GMT

Notoriously difficult to breed, two new clouded leopards are born at the National Zoo’s research facility

Borne on a Black Current

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:22:59 GMT

For thousands of years, the Pacific Ocean’s strong currents have swept shipwrecked Japanese sailors onto American shores

Dino Blog Redirect - Dino Capital

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:49:45 GMT

Construction at two Illinois museums brings a new town to the debate of who holds this prestigious title

ECOCENTER: Energy Redirect

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:25:44 GMT

What are governments, companies and households doing to conserve energy and pursue a "greener" future?

ECOCENTER: Greener Living Redirect

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 03:36:32 GMT

Smithsonian.com takes a look at common and easy ways to go green

ECOCENTER: The Land Redirect

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:10:05 GMT

A look at man-made and natural causes that are threatening the Earth

ECOCENTER: The Oceans Redirect

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 07:48:11 GMT

Global health from an underwater perspective and why what you eat matters

The Life of Charles Darwin

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:00:00 GMT

200 years after the birth of Charles Darwin, the naturalist's impact on modern science could not be overstated

Excavation at Stonehenge

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:37:09 GMT

Discover the secrets of Stonehenge when two experts share stories from their archaeological dig at the ancient site

Dinosaur Dispatch

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:43:30 GMT

Follow a paleontology team as they dig up dinosaurs in Wyoming's Bighorn Basin

Arctic Dispatch

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:42:55 GMT

Follow one journalist's ongoing research into polar climate change in the Arctic Circle

The Miracle of the Reef

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:49:20 GMT

Coral spawn only once a year, and at night; how they manage to synchronize remains a mystery

Wild Things - March09

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Mosquitoes, New Zealand flightless birds, pink lizards and more

A Naturalist’s Pilgrimage to the Galapagos

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:43:00 GMT

Smithsonian's Laura Helmuth vacationed in the Galapagos Islands and returned with even more respect for Charles Darwin

Penguin Dispatch 7: Turbo, the Penguin Who Loved Humans

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:02:55 GMT

One Magellanic penguin rejected his own species and instead of fearing the scientists, he befriended and lived with them

Penguin Dispatch 2: The Scientists of Punta Tombo

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:03:33 GMT

For over 25 years, researcher Dee Boersma has been coming with students in tow to Punta Tombo to study the penguins

Penguin Dispatch 1: Arriving in Punta Tombo, Argentina

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:04:23 GMT

The winter residents of Punta Tombo fly in steadily over the course of a few days, eventually swarming the small land mass

Penguin Dispatch 6: The First Trip into the Ocean

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:02:03 GMT

Only two months into their lives, the chicks, with their now stronger flippers, take their first dive from the water’s edge

Penguin Dispatch 5: Picking the Cutest Newborn Chick

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:01:39 GMT

By late-November, many eggs are hatching and cute, tennis-ball sized grey chicks emerge, begging for food from their parents

Penguin Dispatch 4: How to Study a Penguin Egg

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:01:14 GMT

Females guard their eggs closely, so scientists must tread carefully when temporarily extracting the eggs for research

Penguin Dispatch 3: Penguin Wrangling

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:00:21 GMT

Handling and tagging a penguin can be no easy task, leaving oneself open to a vicious and potentially dangerous beak attack

The Magellanic Penguins of Punta Tombo

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:09:40 GMT

On a tiny peninsula in southern Argentina, nearly 400,000 penguins gather to breed and usher in a new generation of their species

The Amazing Albatrosses

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:00:00 GMT

They fly 50 miles per hour. Go years without touching land. Predict the weather. Mate for life. And they're among the world's most endangered birds. Can albatrosses be saved?

Science & Nature

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:05:21 GMT

They fly 50 miles per hour. Go years without touching land. Predict the weather. Mate for life. And they're among the world's most endangered birds. Can albatrosses be saved?

Dinosaur Shocker

Mon, 01 May 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Probing a 68-million-year-old T. rex, Mary Schweitzer stumbled upon astonishing signs of life that may radically change our view of the beasts that once ruled the earth

The Planet Hunters

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Nevermind the demotion of Pluto to a dwarf planet. Astronomers have found about 200 planets orbiting other stars, and they say it's only a matter of time before they discover another Earth.

Wild Things - May09

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Dinosaur gangs, psychedelic fish and long-distance elephant calls

Wildlife

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:59:31 GMT

Dinosaur gangs, psychedelic fish and long-distance elephant calls

Wild Things - Photo - Nov08

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:34:54 GMT

Bats' barotrauma, fallow deer, Tahitian vanilla, lucky dinosaurs

Environment

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:59:31 GMT

Bats' barotrauma, fallow deer, Tahitian vanilla, lucky dinosaurs

The Hubble Space Telescope’s Finest Photos

Wed, 06 May 2009 03:00:54 GMT

Now that the telescope has received its final upgrades, we look back on Hubble's most memorable images from space

Technology & Space

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:59:31 GMT

Now that the telescope has received its final upgrades, we look back on Hubble's most memorable images from space

Dinosaurs

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:46:58 GMT

Now that the telescope has received its final upgrades, we look back on Hubble's most memorable images from space

Anthropology & Behavior

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:59:31 GMT

Now that the telescope has received its final upgrades, we look back on Hubble's most memorable images from space

Wild Things - Apr09

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Wolves, hibernating animals, spitting cobras and more

Wild Things - Jan09

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Butterflies, clicking antelopes, creatures of the deep and more

Wild Things - Feb09

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Honeyeater birds, sea slugs, tree frogs, and more

Wild Things - Photo - Dec08

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Chewing dinosaurs, climate change, self-sacrificing ants and black bears

Sea Glass: The Search on the Shore

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Part of the sea glass hunting elite, Nancy and Richard LaMotte are finding the treasures they covet harder to come by

In Search of the Mysterious Narwhal

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Ballerina turned biologist Kristin Laidre gives her all to study the elusive, deep-diving, ice-loving whale known as the "unicorn of the sea"

Wanted, Dead or Alive

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 05:00:00 GMT

When scientists go scavenging at a bioblitz, anything they can find that's organic is considered fair game

How I stuck my 'hand' in a fire ant mound for television and glory

Wed, 01 Jan 1997 05:00:00 GMT

When scientists go scavenging at a bioblitz, anything they can find that's organic is considered fair game

Hippo Haven

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 GMT

An idealistic married couple defy poachers and police in strife-torn Zimbabwe to protect a threatened herd of placid pachyderms

Speaking Bonobo

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Bonobos have an impressive vocabulary, especially when it comes to snacks

Curse of the Devil's Dogs

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Traditionally viewed as dangerous pests, Africa's wild dogs have nearly been wiped out. But thanks to new conservation efforts, the smart, sociable canines appear ready to make a comeback

What's So Hot About Chili Peppers?

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

An American ecologist travels through the Bolivian forest to answer burning questions about the spice

The Flu Hunter

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 GMT

For years, Robert Webster has been warning of a global influenza outbreak. Now governments worldwide are finally listening to him

Brendan Borrell QA - April09

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:14:12 GMT

For years, Robert Webster has been warning of a global influenza outbreak. Now governments worldwide are finally listening to him

How to Cook a Geoduck

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:25:42 GMT

It not only doesn't taste like chicken, it's not even poultry. Learn how to cook a geoduck, a large clam

The Evolution of Charles Darwin

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 05:00:00 GMT

A creationist when he visited the Galápagos Islands, the great naturalist grasped the full significance of the unique wildlife he found there only well after he had returned to London

Saving Our Shipwrecks

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

New technologies are aiding the search for one Civil War submarine, and the conservation of another

The Inventor of Air

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 07:34:13 GMT

Known for discovering oxygen, scientist Joseph Priestly also influenced the beliefs of our founding fathers.

Evolution on Trial

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 05:00:00 GMT

Eighty years after a Dayton, Tennessee, jury found John Scopes guilty of teaching evolution, the citizens of "Monkeytown" still say Darwin's for the birds

Animal Old Folks

Wed, 01 Dec 1999 05:00:00 GMT

For the National Zoo's esteemed senior citizens, only the very best in geriatric medical care will do

The Return of the Elk

Wed, 01 Dec 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Monarchs of the mountain West, they once ranged all the way to the Eastern Seaboard. Now they are coming home.

Space Art Blasts Off Around the World

Wed, 01 Dec 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Monarchs of the mountain West, they once ranged all the way to the Eastern Seaboard. Now they are coming home.

What's good for the goose may not be good for you

Sun, 01 Jan 1995 07:00:00 GMT

Honk if you've had it up to here with geese on the golf course, in your yard, all over parks and beaches. You are not the only one

Forget Y2K!

Mon, 01 Feb 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Honk if you've had it up to here with geese on the golf course, in your yard, all over parks and beaches. You are not the only one

Human moms teach chimps it's all in the family

Wed, 01 Mar 1995 07:00:00 GMT

A nursery school at the Yerkes Primate Center gives lessons to the offspring of lab chimps on how to live like their wild-born relatives

However it began on Earth, life may have been inevitable

Wed, 01 Feb 1995 07:00:00 GMT

In a universe filled with prebiotic compounds,it may be only a small step for some of them to hook up in ways that lead directly to life

Giving new life to Haida art and the culture it expresses

Sun, 01 Jan 1995 07:00:00 GMT

Robert Davidson and Bill Reid rediscovered their past with the help of anthropologists, old books, tribal elders and a common ancestor

The biggest fish that ever was

Wed, 01 Feb 1995 07:00:00 GMT

Gentle whale sharks roam the world's warm seas but were rarely seen until anAustralian gathering place was found

Fickle desert blooms: Opulent one year, no-shows the next

Wed, 01 Mar 1995 07:00:00 GMT

Arid lands mean life on the edge. Adaptations serve flowers well, but deserts are always mosaics of abundance and seeming sterility

Charles Csuri is an 'Old Master' in a new medium

Wed, 01 Feb 1995 07:00:00 GMT

When a big mainframe first showed up at Ohio State University, this member of the artfaculty began moonlighting across the quad

Chimney sweeps are plunging into their work again

Fri, 01 Sep 1995 07:00:00 GMT

With more of us using fireplaces and modern high-efficiency wood stoves, the ancient profession is getting a new lease on soot.

That 'little armored thing' doesn't get by on looks alone

Sun, 01 Oct 1995 07:00:00 GMT

It appears to be made out of spare parts, but the only mammal equipped with a carapace is actually a model of ecological efficiency

Crash dummies, taking the hard knocks for all of us

Sat, 01 Jul 1995 07:00:00 GMT

It appears to be made out of spare parts, but the only mammal equipped with a carapace is actually a model of ecological efficiency

Shhhh...those 'peculiar people' are listening

Sat, 01 Apr 1995 07:00:00 GMT

They're out there in there boondocks, doing their best to record the pure sounds of nature while there are still some quiet places left

Again and again in World War II, blood made the difference

Wed, 01 Mar 1995 07:00:00 GMT

In 1940 the hard-driving Harvard biochemist Edwin Cohn broke plasma down into its different proteins and saved millions of soldiers' lives

It's in the air: Skin, stardust, radio waves, vitamins, spider legs

Sat, 01 Apr 1995 07:00:00 GMT

We seldom notice air, but there's more going on in that cubic foot of the ether in front of our faces than most of us would ever guess

With computers and new equipment, our once-struggling freight railroads are now the world's best and busiest

Thu, 01 Jun 1995 07:00:00 GMT

We seldom notice air, but there's more going on in that cubic foot of the ether in front of our faces than most of us would ever guess

Science defined by the hands of a book artist

Thu, 01 Jun 1995 07:00:00 GMT

You can't always tell a book by its cover; in fact, it may not even have a cover. These artists' books convey their message in unexpected ways

The great Martian fossil hunt

Tue, 01 Aug 1995 07:00:00 GMT

If bacterial life did arise on an Earth-like early Mars, we should be able to find its fossil remains preserved in those red rocks

On the trail of the stealth birds of our wetlands

Mon, 01 May 1995 07:00:00 GMT

With its cunning camouflage and some mighty morphing, a bittern can be one tough bird to find and a tough customer to boot

Elephant seals, the champion divers of the deep

Fri, 01 Sep 1995 07:00:00 GMT

These ponderous pinnipeds continually set new records for diving to crushing depths; researchers are hard at work to discover just how they do it

Seeking gifts from the sea, Sanibel-style

Tue, 01 Aug 1995 07:00:00 GMT

These ponderous pinnipeds continually set new records for diving to crushing depths; researchers are hard at work to discover just how they do it

When it comes to sports for the brain, everyone's a winner

Sat, 01 Jul 1995 07:00:00 GMT

These ponderous pinnipeds continually set new records for diving to crushing depths; researchers are hard at work to discover just how they do it

The deep-sea floor rivals rain forests in diversity of life

Mon, 01 Jan 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Blue luminescence and marine snow define a world where millions of species of worms and other invertebrates live out their lives

My dog has fleas, also my cat, my bird, my...

Sat, 01 Jul 1995 07:00:00 GMT

These tiny prehistoric parasites have evolved a bold array of weapons, the better to torture their hosts

Flutter by and be counted!

Thu, 01 Jun 1995 07:00:00 GMT

At the Fourth of July Butterfly Count, devotees census swallowtails, wood-nymphs and all their colorful kin

Arthur can make a machine that waves goodbye

Mon, 01 Jan 1996 07:00:00 GMT

MIT sculptor Arthur Ganson is on a roll, creating machines that whir and clack as they seem to take on a life of their own

Shooting right for the stars with one gargantuan gas gun

Mon, 01 Jan 1996 07:00:00 GMT

At the Lawrence Livermore lab, researchers John Hunter and Harry Cartland want to train a behemoth barrel on the reaches of outer space

How the body defends itself from the risky business of living

Fri, 01 Dec 1995 07:00:00 GMT

Our cells take trillions of 'hits' each day from toxins both natural and man-made, but hardworking enzymes repair the damage

Clyde Roper can't wait to be attacked by a giant squid

Wed, 01 May 1996 07:00:00 GMT

After studying (and eating) smaller squid for years, the Smithsonian's cephalopod man is now ready to face the biggest calamari of all

Climate is often a matter of inches and a little water

Fri, 01 Dec 1995 07:00:00 GMT

Planners ignore microclimates at their peril: mistakes can mean frozen crops, lower house values and camper vans blown off the highway

Creatures wild and wonderful thrive at a living lab in Kenya

Wed, 01 May 1996 07:00:00 GMT

The Mpala Research Centre offers a pristine environment for collaborative study on how humans and wildlife can coexist in the future

How taxonomy helps us make sense out of the natural world

Wed, 01 May 1996 07:00:00 GMT

We all have a need to classify plants and animals, which is what the National Museum of Natural History does on a grand scale

Bringing ancient ways to our farmers' fields

Wed, 01 Nov 1995 07:00:00 GMT

From her research plots at Cornell, scientist Jane Mt. Pleasant wants to take agriculture back to its Native American roots and into the future

Risk: Where do real dangers lie?

Wed, 01 Nov 1995 07:00:00 GMT

We have always had to assess the chances that bad things will happen; now, new tools give us hard numbers but also raise new questions

Snatching scientific secrets from the hippo's gaping jaws

Fri, 01 Mar 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Deep inside Tanzania's Ruaha National Park, biologist William Barklow sounds out the complexities of "river horse" communication

Decibel by decibel, reducing the din to a very dull roar

Thu, 01 Feb 1996 07:00:00 GMT

At RH Lyon Corp, noisebusting engineers tackle everything from leaf blowers to ticking clocks in their search for the right sound

A giant shrugs off vandalism, poaching, tales of its demise

Mon, 01 Jan 1996 07:00:00 GMT

The Sonoran Desert's mighty saguaro cactus is the living embodiment of the Southwest, a 'charismatic megaplant' that people care about

'Let the bones talk' is the watchword for scientist-sleuths

Wed, 01 May 1996 07:00:00 GMT

When the FBI moved in across the street 60 years ago, Smithsonian anthropologists began a tradition of helping to solve crimes

To be a champion, a tree must measure up to high standards

Tue, 01 Oct 1996 07:00:00 GMT

If it is tall, wide and thick enough, it might qualify for listing on the National Register of Big Trees--but first someone has to find it

When it comes to moths, nature pulls out all the stops

Thu, 01 Feb 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Cross-dressing, sucking blood, spitting poison: moths do such crazy things, it's no wonder researchers stay up all night studying them

In the company of cannibals that sting...and glow

Mon, 01 Apr 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Found everywhere from beaches to 14,000 feet up in the Himalayas, scorpions kill more people than any other animal except snakes and bees

New Ideas in the Air at the National Zoo

Sat, 01 Jun 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Found everywhere from beaches to 14,000 feet up in the Himalayas, scorpions kill more people than any other animal except snakes and bees

Dragonflies are an odd combination of beautiful things

Mon, 01 Jul 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Don't be misled by their dainty appearance: these ornaments of summer are aggressive predators, amazing fliers and bizarre suitors

The berry and the poison

Sun, 01 Dec 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Methyl bromide makes our fields fruitful; it will soon be banned, however, not because it's toxic and it's very toxic but because it attacks the ozone layer

A onetime rancher wages lonely war to save rare plants

Fri, 01 Nov 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Working alone, by hand, one man is turning 100 acres of alien trees into a refuge for Hawaii's endangered botanical treasures

The dogs that go to work, and play, all day -- for science

Fri, 01 Nov 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Geneticist Jasper Rine and his colleagues launched the Dog Genome Initiative to elucidate both canine genes and behavior

Unearthing secrets locked deep inside each fistful of soil

Sat, 01 Mar 1997 07:00:00 GMT

To scientists at the National Soil Tilth Lab in Ames, Iowa, it's not just dirt they are probing it's the planet's sustaining surface

What's in a name? Sometimes more than meets the eye

Sun, 01 Dec 1996 07:00:00 GMT

Jokes, puns, even insults when it comes to deciding what to call newly discovered species, scientists don't always go by the book

Geologists worry about dangers of living 'under the volcano'

Mon, 01 Jul 1996 07:00:00 GMT

The experts believe Mount Rainier will give plenty of notice before it erupts again--the problem is that it can kill in other ways

If it moves, grab it, but try not to get the end that bites

Sun, 01 Sep 1996 07:00:00 GMT

That's the advice researchers in Venezuela give volunteers who help them find and collect specimens of the world's biggest boa

Let's hear it for the lowly sound bite!

Thu, 01 Aug 1996 07:00:00 GMT

In which it is amply demonstrated that the sound bite, long a pariah of pundits and pooh-bahs, is really a helpmeet to man

You can call him 'cute' or you can call him 'hungry'

Sat, 01 Feb 1997 07:00:00 GMT

The much-maligned weasel is always on the lookout for something to eat, and the rest of us should be grateful he usually finds it

At the 'Mayo Clinic for animals,' the extraordinary is routine

Tue, 01 Oct 1996 07:00:00 GMT

New York's renowned veterinary hospital takes on almost anything, from a constricted boa to a mite-infested mouse to an anemic iguana

Seeing the Chesapeake as a whole

Mon, 01 Jul 1996 07:00:00 GMT

At a 2,600-acre research site near Chesapeake Bay, Smithsonian scientists are answering basic questions about how ecosystems work

Mining the scrap heap for treasure

Thu, 01 May 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Across America, a network of scrap-metal firms is supplying much of the raw materials, iron to aluminum, that fuel the growing global economy

Golf gets back to nature, inviting everyone to play

Tue, 01 Apr 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Using natural landforms and native grasses and plants, golf course designers are creating links that are environmentally up to par

Following the footsteps of fox and bear

Wed, 01 Jan 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Naturalist-sleuth Susan Morse and her fellow conservationists at Keeping Track monitor wildlife in order to pinpoint critical habitat

Everyone knows the dragon is only a mythical beast

Tue, 01 Apr 1997 07:00:00 GMT

But try telling that to the people who live on a few islands in Indonesia where several thousand real dragons subsist in the wild

For Rescue Dogs "Nothing's Better Than a Live Find"

Fri, 01 Aug 1997 07:00:00 GMT

But try telling that to the people who live on a few islands in Indonesia where several thousand real dragons subsist in the wild

'Not your average backyard gardener'

Sat, 01 Mar 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Ganna Walska pursued life with a passion, from husbands to opera to plants. Her legacy is Lotusland, an exotic California garden

Flood forecasting

Fri, 01 Aug 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Water, Water, Everywhere

Mysterious Pearls

Tue, 01 Jul 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Did they once belong to Vietnam's royal family? Perhaps. But for Ben Zucker, a mystical "sleuth" of the gems trade, seeking the answer matters more than finding it.

Planets Around Other Stars Are Hot Hot Hot

Mon, 01 Sep 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Suddenly we find that lots of nearby stars have their own planets, even though so far we can "see" only the giants

The Riddle of the Carolina Bays

Mon, 01 Sep 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Suddenly we find that lots of nearby stars have their own planets, even though so far we can "see" only the giants

Black Wolf: Ernest Thompson Seton

Tue, 01 Jul 1997 07:00:00 GMT

In his lifetime no one did more than Ernest Thompson Seton to promote the idea that nature is a very good thing

'Traveling light' has new meaning for jet laggards

Tue, 01 Apr 1997 07:00:00 GMT

From light therapy to melatonin, research into our bodies' daily rhythms has led to promising treatments for weary travelers

A Gift of a Garden

Mon, 01 Sep 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Green activist Dan Barker is seeding many lives with hope

Nature's own pooper-scoopers keep Earth livable for all of us

Sun, 01 Jun 1997 07:00:00 GMT

If it were not for dung beetles, members of the scarab family, every terrestrial organism would be up to its eyeballs in you know what

Cybercops take a byte out of computer crime

Thu, 01 May 1997 07:00:00 GMT

A detective working the computer crime beat still needs street smarts, but there's a lot of uncharted legal territory out there

Making Room for Prairie Dogs

Sun, 01 Mar 1998 07:00:00 GMT

These colonial rodents are cute if you're not a cattleman or even a suburban homeowner watching your grass disappear. Millions still live on the prairies, yet the little rascals are in trouble

Will the Dunes March Once Again?

Mon, 01 Dec 1997 07:00:00 GMT

As recently as 200 years ago, dunes and sheet sand were active throughout the Great Plains. A serious drought could bring them back

From Twigs to Ravens, Nothing Escapes the Notice of Bernd Heinrich

Sat, 01 Nov 1997 07:00:00 GMT

As recently as 200 years ago, dunes and sheet sand were active throughout the Great Plains. A serious drought could bring them back

Star Wars on the Mall

Sat, 01 Nov 1997 07:00:00 GMT

As recently as 200 years ago, dunes and sheet sand were active throughout the Great Plains. A serious drought could bring them back

Claws

Wed, 01 Oct 1997 07:00:00 GMT

In down east Maine, the lobster means more than seafood

Nitrogen

Wed, 01 Oct 1997 07:00:00 GMT

It's colorless, odorless and gets no respect, but it's vital to the cycle of life and we may be using too much

Solving the Aging Puzzle

Thu, 01 Jan 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Evolution may tell us why living things-- including humans--age at such diverse rates

The Joys of Rehabbing

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:49:20 GMT

Rehabilitating injured or abandoned wildlife fulfills the longing of many animal lovers to know other bloods

The Beauty of Bare Bones

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:49:21 GMT

Rehabilitating injured or abandoned wildlife fulfills the longing of many animal lovers to know other bloods

Ursula von Rydingsvard Sculpts Metaphors in Wood

Fri, 01 May 1998 07:00:00 GMT

The contemporary artist combines primordial forms and highly expressive content to produce haunting and monumental works of uncommon power

Mustangs on the Move

Sat, 01 Nov 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Without free-roaming bands of wild horses, the American West just wouldn't be the same

Digging for Dinosaur Gold

Sun, 01 Mar 1998 07:00:00 GMT

A complicated battle over one fossil Tyrannosaurus rex--and the high-stakes auction of another--raises a big question: Who gets to own the bones?

R2-D2 Gets Real

Sun, 01 Mar 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Keep your eyes on the sky--a flock of robots may be heading your way

The Belled Viper

Mon, 01 Dec 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Even hunters of timber rattlers now admit that these snakes are shy, placid and very fragile

Fly Away Home

Wed, 01 Apr 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Winging south, Operation Migration embarks on a remarkable odyssey

To Reproduce, Mussels Go Fishing

Thu, 01 Jan 1998 07:00:00 GMT

The evolution of this freshwater pearl-maker reaches its apex in our Southeastern rivers

The Sargasso Sea

Sun, 01 Nov 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Out in the Atlantic, strange creatures make their home among seaweed in a floating lens of warm water

The Incredible Sponge

Sat, 01 Aug 1998 07:00:00 GMT

It may seem primitive, but it can do some things you wouldn't want to try at home

Racing to Revive Our Embattled Elms

Mon, 01 Jun 1998 07:00:00 GMT

It may seem primitive, but it can do some things you wouldn't want to try at home

Oh, My Aching Back

Sat, 01 Aug 1998 07:00:00 GMT

At the University of Vermont, scientists work to pinpoint the source of your pain

Let's Root for the Coot

Tue, 01 Dec 1998 07:00:00 GMT

This feisty waterbird is very common. That's part of the problem.

Casting a High-Tech Net for Space Trash

Fri, 01 Jan 1999 07:00:00 GMT

A cloud of spacecraft parts and debris envelops the earth. Keeping track of it takes the best we have

Let it Snow

Tue, 01 Dec 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Ski resorts have snowmaking down to a science now sometimes the real stuff gets in the way

The Long, Cold Journey of Ice Station SHEBA

Tue, 01 Sep 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Climate scientists go with the floe

Greetings from the Antiworld

Mon, 01 Jun 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Every subatomic particle has its opposite number, but luckily it's not true on a larger scale

The Battle of the Dams

Sun, 01 Nov 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Those who think some of our rivers are a dammed shame argue for the structures to come down

When Monkeys Move to Town

Fri, 01 Jan 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Loitering on sidewalks and begging at shops, macaques are familiar, but not always welcome, sights in cities across Asia

New Breeds Down on the Pharm

Wed, 01 Jul 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Plain old barnyard animals with genes from other species added are producing medicines that keep people alive

X-Rays Expose a Violent Sky

Wed, 01 Jul 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Some of the most furious goings-on in the Universe shine brightest in X rays now we'll see them better

Great Blues Are Going Great Guns

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 07:00:00 GMT

These ubiquitous herons are learning to live with people

Discovering the Odds

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Over the centuries, visionary mathematicians laid the foundation for how we view life's gambles

The Enemy Within

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 07:00:00 GMT

Termites are covert destroyers. You don't hear them or see them until they come swarming out of the woodwork on their spectacular mating flight

Calendar

Mon, 01 Feb 1999 07:00:00 GMT

It took two millennia to get the one we now use; we owe a lot to the sun and moon, to Caesar, Pope Gregory and, oh yes, the Earl of Chesterfield

Redefining Robots

Tue, 01 Feb 2000 07:00:00 GMT

At his laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, researcher Mark Tilden creates machines that march to the beat of a different drummer

Casting Light on Iranian Deserts

Tue, 01 Feb 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Closely watched by their guides and military escort, harried biologists survey the wild things that survive there

Sloth Bears: They Eat Ants, but Take on Tigers

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Still used as "dancing bears," they can hold their own with the big cats but not with human expansion

Our Love Affair with Lawns

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Americans take lawn care very seriously, spending billions to keep their perfectly clipped grass green and absolutely weed free

When Magma's On the Move

Tue, 01 Feb 2000 07:00:00 GMT

In California's Long Valley, the earth trembles every day where a volcano once exploded

An "Odd Fish" Who Swam Against the Tide

Fri, 01 Jan 1999 07:00:00 GMT

The pioneering naturalist Constantine Rafinesque did just about everything, and he always did it his way

Do Not Take the Javelina Lightly

Sun, 01 Aug 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Oh yes, it's a touchy-feely creature all right, but the collared peccary, or javelina, has very big teeth and it knows how to use them

Making the Chips that Run the World

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Making the Chips that Run the World A piece of cake: put 9Â½ million transistors in a space the size of your thumbnail and allow zero contamination

What is Bugging Barbara Norfleet?

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 07:00:00 GMT

A photographer's imaginary insect world mirrors our own, with beetles flying kites and six-legged warriors on the march

Stormy Weather Live!

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Everyone talks about the weather the people at the Weather Channel live it 24 hours a day

Something Just Bit You?

Wed, 01 Sep 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Was it a scorpion? A spider? A snake? The toxin experts at APDIC can tell you what to do

Relax, It's Only a Piranha

Thu, 01 Jul 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Never mind its savage reputation. The piranha is a pussycat most of the time

Squaring the Circle Is No Piece of Pi

Mon, 01 May 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Mathematicians have sliced, and now supercomputers have crunched, but the mystery of pi goes on and on and...

Birds, Bees and Even Nectar-feeding Bats Do It

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Across our fields, orchards and backyard gardens, the pollinators we rely on for the food we eat are facing threats on many fronts

A Second Wind

Wed, 01 Mar 2000 07:00:00 GMT

An unlikely alliance of Midwesterners says it is time to take another look at generating electricity through wind power

Batty About Flying Foxes

Mon, 01 May 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Long considered black devils with wings, these bats today are stealing hearts and mangoes across Australia

Night Belongs to the Kiwi

Wed, 01 Mar 2000 07:00:00 GMT

It may look fuzzy and adorable but this New Zealand bird is one tough customer

Ringtails Like To Be Appreciated

Tue, 01 Aug 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Although they are by nature loners, these clever "cats" don't mind a little human companionship

"You Gotta Remember, Eels Are Weird"

Tue, 01 Feb 2000 07:00:00 GMT

They're slimy, snaky, ugly and repulsive, but once you acquire a taste for this much-maligned species, "slippery as an eel" becomes a compliment

Charting the Terrain of Touch

Thu, 01 Jun 2000 07:00:00 GMT

At MIT's Laboratory for Human and Machine Haptics, researchers are probing the inner workings of our hands

The Cat That Walks by Itself

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 07:00:00 GMT

In Mexico's Maya jungle, the survival of the jaguar hangs on radio collars, hounds and former hunters

Nightjars Are Everywhere, But Just Try Finding One

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Catching a glimpse of these night-loving birds, which include the whip-poor-will, challenges even the most avid bird-watcher

Newton's Vice

Fri, 01 Dec 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Some say alchemy inspired our greatest scientist

Vostok: Looking for Life Beneath an Antarctic Glacier

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 07:00:00 GMT

In what may be the world's largest lake ever seen by a human eye, the search begins

Supermodels with Six Legs

Thu, 01 Jun 2000 07:00:00 GMT

In what may be the world's largest lake ever seen by a human eye, the search begins

Horning In?

Thu, 01 Jun 2000 07:00:00 GMT

Bighorn sheep have made a big comeback in recent years, but some developers out West think they're intruders

Something's Fishy about this Robot

Tue, 01 Aug 2000 07:00:00 GMT

When it comes to speed and maneuverability, fish leave man-made submersibles floundering, but RoboTuna and friends may change all that

Kudzu: Love It or Run

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 07:00:00 GMT

The lush, aggressive weed that "grows like the devil" and just will not die is manna for sheep, cows and folks who use it to cure hangovers, weave baskets and make jelly

Malaria Kills One Child Every 30 Seconds

Fri, 01 Sep 2000 07:00:00 GMT

A new pandemic imperils half the world. Scientists think they know what has to be done, but the disease continues to outsmart them

So Tiny, So Sweet...So Mean

Fri, 01 Sep 2000 07:00:00 GMT

If hummingbirds were as big as ravens, it probably wouldn't be safe to go for a walk in the woods

The Rarest of the Rare

Wed, 01 Nov 2000 07:00:00 GMT

For 25 years, scientists at the Smithsonian's Conservation and Research Center have snatched endangered creatures from the brink and redefined conservation biology

Seeing Science Six Miles Up

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 07:00:00 GMT

City patterns, farm history, ancient seabeds, old mountains and new, the why of clouds: take a look

Mapping Galactic Foam

Fri, 01 Jun 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Smithsonian astronomer Margaret Geller plotted the bubble structure of the universe. Now she's working to find out how it got that way

In Search of Sanctuary

Thu, 01 Feb 2001 07:00:00 GMT

As its Florida habitat disappears, the American wood stork, our largest wading bird, is migrating northward to new nesting grounds.

"When Bandogs Howle and Spirits Walk"

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Studying the nighttime hours across the centuries, says historian Roger Ekirch, sheds light on preindustrial society

Seeing Fingers Decipher Bones

Tue, 01 May 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Give Marsha Ogilvie some bones, and she'll tell you the who, what and how . . . and she does it all with her hands

The Horses Exalt the Officers Who Ride Them

Tue, 01 May 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Cantering through smoke, over obstacles and down city streets, recruits in Washington, D.C. train for careers as mounted police

We're in a Jam

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Easing the nation's growing traffic congestion has experts all backed up

Serpent Surprise

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Easing the nation's growing traffic congestion has experts all backed up

Return of the Pandas

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 07:00:00 GMT

After moving from Wolong to Washington, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are packing them in at the National Zoo

Feeling Crabby?

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 07:00:00 GMT

The vaults of the Natural History Museum in Paris contain a menagerie of curious crustaceans

The Rhinos Are Baaack!

Thu, 01 Mar 2001 07:00:00 GMT

In South Africa these hefty, unpredictable and inquisitive beasts are flourishing and have become very big business

For Some, Pain Is Orange

Thu, 01 Feb 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Persons with synesthesia experience "extra" sensations. The Letter T may be navy blue; a sound can taste like pickles.

Sage Grouse Strut Their Stuff

Fri, 01 Jun 2001 07:00:00 GMT

The star of one of nature's most spectacular spring shows is losing ground and may be headed for the federal Endangered Species List

Betting on Designer Genes

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Scientists dream of giving people new genes that will stop a disease or fix a problem. It is harder than anyone thought

Noise Busters

Thu, 01 Mar 2001 07:00:00 GMT

To dissect the din that daily assaults our ears, researchers from the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse are taking to the streets

Stars in Their Eyes

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 07:00:00 GMT

The exquisite telescopes crafted by Alvan Clark and his sons helped make the last half of the 19th century a golden age of astronomy

Monkey Wrench

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 07:00:00 GMT

An American couple's ingenious research challenges the popular notion that baboons and other monkeys are almost human

Getting in Deep

Thu, 01 Nov 2001 07:00:00 GMT

The unending quest for oil has now led drillers to vast reserves lying more than a mile beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico

Brave New World

Sat, 01 Dec 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Everything you wanted to know about stem cells, cloning and genetic engineering but were afraid to ask

The Way of Confucius

Thu, 01 Nov 2001 07:00:00 GMT

In a remote corner of eastern China, travelers tread the path of the ancient sage

They Drink the Wind

Sat, 01 Sep 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Famed for their "floating-on-air" gaits, Arabian horses run in 100-mile races and ask for more

The Little Foxes

Wed, 01 Aug 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Their habitat is disappearing fast, but San Joaquin kit foxes are finding ways to survive

Whales on Mountaintops

Sat, 01 Dec 2001 07:00:00 GMT

A great fossil find high in the Chilean Andes began with a delayed flight in New York City and ended with a horseback ride from hell

Risky Business

Thu, 01 Nov 2001 07:00:00 GMT

The Australian pact with the world's largest crocodiles seems to be workingbut critics say that the costs are fatally high

Durians Smell Awful — But the Taste Is Heavenly

Wed, 01 Sep 1999 07:00:00 GMT

The Australian pact with the world's largest crocodiles seems to be workingbut critics say that the costs are fatally high

Will the Kitchen Please Shut Up!

Wed, 01 Sep 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Talking oven mitts, anyone? At the Counter Intelligence Project, research wizards are creating the culinary gizmos of tomorrow

Suiting Up for the Honey Wars

Wed, 01 Aug 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Talking oven mitts, anyone? At the Counter Intelligence Project, research wizards are creating the culinary gizmos of tomorrow

Following the Track of the Cat

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 07:00:00 GMT

The Bushmen of Namibia are so good at reading the language of footprints they can tell what a leopard did the day before they started pursuing it

Tunnel Vision

Sat, 01 Dec 2001 07:00:00 GMT

Arizona Naturalist Pinau Merlin celebrates life in the desert by keeping a close eye on it

Condors: back from the brink

Thu, 01 May 1997 07:00:00 GMT

Hopes for the endangered vultures' survival soared recently after six captive birds were released on a clifftop in the Arizona wilds

Tunnel Vision

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:52:00 GMT

Arizona Naturalist Pinau Merlin celebrates life in the desert by keeping a close eye on it

The "Sea Canary" Sings the Blues

Mon, 01 Nov 1999 07:00:00 GMT

The beluga whales of Canada's St. Lawrence River have endured a lot over the years, but they're still around, and still controversial

Tracking America's First Dogs

Mon, 01 Mar 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Carolina dogs, discovered in the Southeast woods, may provide clues to the primitive dogs that arrived with the first humans in America

Attack! Explode!

Sat, 01 May 1999 07:00:00 GMT

At the "house of pain," sports scientists are finding new ways to help great athletes get even better

"A Good Dog Knows What to Do"

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 07:00:00 GMT

In competition, workaholic Border collies fetch, pen and shed to prove they have the right stuff

Saving Birds with a Ring and a Prayer

Wed, 01 Sep 1999 07:00:00 GMT

In North America, more than 60 million birds have been banded to help us learn how they live and travel

Mining for Meteorites

Mon, 01 Mar 1999 07:00:00 GMT

As prices skyrocket, gonzo collectors are combing the globe for these celestial fragments—and riling researchers

To Save a Falcon

Mon, 01 Feb 1999 07:00:00 GMT

An American biologist treks the steppes and the Gobi to rescue a Mongolian raptor that's in deep trouble

If You're a Bear, These Dogs Will Give You Paws

Sat, 01 May 1999 07:00:00 GMT

When grizzlies and black bears start hanging around people, Carrie Hunt and her feisty Karelians persuade them to go away

A Social Divide Written in Stone

Mon, 01 Feb 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Archaeological research at Cliff Palace resumes after 80 years. Surprises are the order of the day

Stories in Stone Read From Ancient Leaves

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 04:00:00 GMT

A Smithsonian scientist studies the relationship between Eocene insects and the plants they ate

The Peaceful Primates

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 07:00:00 GMT

Costa Rica's squirrel monkeys are adorable, charismatic, sexy and critically endangered

NASA Goes Ballistic

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 04:00:00 GMT

The space agency crashed a satellite on the moon in a search for water. It wants to "shoot" a comet.

Lost at Sea

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 05:00:00 GMT

What's killing the great Atlantic salmon?

Building to a Different Drummer

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 05:00:00 GMT

Today's timber frame revivalists are putting up everything from millionaire mansions to a replica of Thoreau's cabin

Master of the Deep

Thu, 01 Mar 2001 05:00:00 GMT

Before Smithsonian scientists do underwater research, Michael Lang makes them seaworthy.

Absolute Zero - Coldest Place Extra

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:04:20 GMT

Why Is A Negative Number Called Absolute Zero?

The Shadow Knows

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Why a leading expert on the history of timekeeping set out to create a sundial unlike anything the world has ever seen

Diamonds Unearthed Part 2

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 GMT

In part two of this series, Smithsonian diamond expert Jeffrey Post, curator of the National Gem and Mineral Collection, discusses conflict diamonds, colored diamonds and synthetic gems grown in the lab

Diamonds Unearthed Part 3

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 GMT

In the final installment of this three-part series, Smithsonian diamond expert Jeffrey Post, curator of the National Gem and Mineral Collection, discusses the fascinating stories behind the Smithsonian's diamond collection

Patent Pending

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 GMT

The Supreme Court may soon reinvent the rules for invention

The Tattoo Eraser

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 GMT

A new type of body art ink promises freedom from forever

End of the Road?

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Development threatens to block the ancient migration of a herd of pronghorn antelopes in western Wyoming. Without new protections, conservationists say, the speedy animals are running out of time.

Beyond Time - Sundial Sidebar

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 GMT

A unique sundial marks places as well as hours

Evidence for a Flood

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 05:00:00 GMT

Sediment layers suggest that 7,500 years ago Mediterranean water roared into the Black Sea

Life Unplugged

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Bundle up your power cords—wireless energy transfer is here

Bones to Ashes

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 GMT

An excerpt from the new book by Kathy Reichs

Celestial Sightseeing

Sat, 01 Nov 2003 05:00:00 GMT

From Triton's active geysers to the Sun's seething flares, newly enhanced images from U.S. and foreign space probes depict the solar system as never before

Surprising Science Blog Redirect

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:21:54 GMT

With news that the woolly mammoth genome has been sequenced, our science blogger asks about resuscitating the extinct species

Seeing Is Believing - Our Imperiled Oceans

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:45:00 GMT

Photographs and other historical records testify to the former abundance of the sea

Laura Helmuth on "Seeing is Believing"

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:09:56 GMT

Photographs and other historical records testify to the former abundance of the sea

Hot-Rock Cooking Party

Sat, 01 Nov 1997 05:00:00 GMT

For archaeologists, the proof is in the pudding or rather, in the agave, cactus and other goodies

Great Expectations

Sun, 01 Jun 2003 04:00:00 GMT

Elephant researchers believe they can boost captive-animal reproduction rates and reverse a potential population crash in zoos.

Bonobo Paradise

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Lola Ya Bonobo, or "Bonobo Paradise" in the Lingala language, is an 86-acre sanctuary set in verdant hills 20 miles south of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hatching a New Idea

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:57:38 GMT

Electronic eggs hatch new insights into breeding exotic birds at the National Zoo

Testimony from the Iceman

Sat, 01 Feb 2003 05:00:00 GMT

The 5,000-plus-year-old Neolithic man discovered a decade ago is telling scientists how he lived and died

Jeff Wheelwright on "The Secret of San Luis Valley"

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The 5,000-plus-year-old Neolithic man discovered a decade ago is telling scientists how he lived and died

How Breast Cancer Genes Work - San Luis Valley Extra

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Though we may talk of cancer as one disease, skin cancer has little in common with pancreatic cancer and breast cancer is something else entirely

Reading Between the Lines

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Scientists with high-tech tools are deciphering lost writings of the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes

On the Trail of the West Nile Virus

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 04:00:00 GMT

Some scientists race to develop vaccines against the scourge while others probe the possible lingering effects of the mosquito-borne infection.

Apples of Your Eye

Fri, 01 Nov 2002 05:00:00 GMT

Fruit sleuths and nursery owners are fighting to save our nation's apple heritage...before it's too late

Arctic Dispatch: 10 A Thaw in the Arctic Tundra

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:25:50 GMT

Researchers at the Toolik Field Station study thermokarst to understand the ecological effects of climate change

Shark

Mon, 01 Aug 2005 04:00:00 GMT

Recent attacks on people off the Florida coast are a tragic reminder of the animal's fierce nature. Yet scientists say the terrifying predator is itself in grave danger

Invasion of the Snakeheads

Tue, 01 Feb 2005 05:00:00 GMT

The voracious "Frankenfish" has turned up in the Potomac River, Lake Michigan and a California lake, sparking fears of an ecological Armageddon. But is the Asian import a monsteror the victim of monster hype?

Fish Story

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Native trout are returning to America's rivers and streams, thanks to new thinking by scientists and conservationists

Raising Alexandria

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

More than 2,000 years after Alexander the Great founded the city, archaeologists are discovering its fabled remains, from the likely site of Cleopatra's palace to pieces of an astonishing lighthouse that was one of the Seven Wonders of the World

What Makes a Planet?

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Why our solar system just shrank.

Neanderthal Man

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Svante Paabo has probed the DNA of Egyptian mummies and extinct animals. Now he hopes to learn more about what makes us tick by decoding the DNA of our evolutionary cousins.

Antarctica Erupts!

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

A trip to Mount Erebus yields a rare, close-up look at one of the world's weirdest geological marvels

Learning from Tai Shan

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT

The giant panda born at Washington, D.C.'s National Zoo has charmed animal lovers. Now he's teaching scientists more than they had expected

ANWR: The Great Divide

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 04:00:00 GMT

The renewed debate over drilling for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge hits home for the two Native groups nearest the nature preserve

Corn Plastic to the Rescue

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Wal-Mart and others are going green with "biodegradable" packaging made from corn. But is this really the answer to America's throwaway culture?

On the Case

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Kathy Reichs, the forensic expert who helped inspire the TV show "Bones," talks about homicides, DNA and her latest novel

The Hunt for Hot Stuff

Sat, 01 Mar 2003 05:00:00 GMT

In the former Soviet Union, "rad rangers" are racing to find lost radiation devices before terrorists can turn them into "dirty bombs"

Tiger Tracks

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 05:00:00 GMT

Revisiting his old haunts in Nepal, the author looks for tigers and finds a clever new strategy for saving them

Rethinking Neanderthals

Sun, 01 Jun 2003 04:00:00 GMT

Research suggests the so-called brutes fashioned tools, buried their dead, maybe cared for the sick and even conversed. But why, if they were so smart, did they disappear?

No Place Like Home

Sun, 01 Dec 2002 05:00:00 GMT

Research suggests the so-called brutes fashioned tools, buried their dead, maybe cared for the sick and even conversed. But why, if they were so smart, did they disappear?

State of Emergency

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 GMT

The slaughter of four endangered mountain gorillas in war-ravaged Congo sparks conservationist action

The Vanishing

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Little noticed by the outside world, perhaps the most dramatic decline of a wild animal in history has been taking place in India and Pakistan. Large vultures, vitally necessary and once numbering in the tens of millions, now face extinction. But why?

For the Love of Lemurs

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 GMT

To her delight, social worker-turned-scientist Patricia Wright has found the mischievous Madagascar primates to be astonishingly complex

The Strawberry with 'Wicked Wiles'

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 GMT

David Chelf, a former physicist who shifted gears into horticulture, launched a venture in 2003 to grow large quantities of Mara des Bois strawberries.

Return of the Sun Cult

Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 GMT

In Peru, scientists discover the oldest solar observatory in the Americas

Wolf Tracker

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:32:09 GMT

Biologist Gudrun Pflueger talks about her encounter with a Canadian pack

Seeking Friendlier Skies

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Can radar networks eliminate airplane turbulence?

Fantastically Repulsive

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:00:00 GMT

In this interview, Susan McGrath, author of "The Vanishing," describes getting up close and personal with vultures

Biologist at the Helm

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Meet Cristián Samper, Acting Secretary

Can Mosquitoes Fight Malaria?

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Scientists can build a mosquito that resists infection, but getting the insects to pass along the gene is a harder task

Soaring Hopes

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:00:00 GMT

The first two Asian vultures breed in captivity

City of the Imagination

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Andrew Lawler, author of "Raising Alexandria" talks about the hidden history of Egypt's fabled seaside capital

Flying North to Fly South

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 03:42:32 GMT

Preparing the critically endangered whooping crane for migration could save the flock

Into the Fold

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Physicist Robert Lang has taken the ancient art of origami to new dimensions

Wiseguys with Wings

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 05:00:00 GMT

"Mafia" cowbirds muscle warblers into raising their young

Footloose

Mon, 01 Aug 2005 04:00:00 GMT

The image of Bruce McCandless' spacewalk two decades ago still amazes. It was the first untethered walk everand was among the last

The Nic Fix

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Put down your lighters and pick up your health care cardsnicotine vaccines are in the works

Species Explosion

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

What happens when you mix evolution with climate change?

Volcanic Lightning

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:00:00 GMT

As sparks flew during the eruption of Mount St. Augustine in Alaska, scientists made some new discoveries

Extreme Persistence

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Madeleine and Thomas Nash braved high altitudes and frigid temperatures for "Chronicling the Ice"

Tasmanian Tailspin

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Can a new plan to relocate the Tasmanian devil save the species?

Stop the Carnage

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 05:00:00 GMT

A pistol-packing American scientist puts his life on the line to reduce "the most serious threat to African wildlife"the illegal hunting of animals for foodand to STOP THE CARNAGE

Chronicling the Ice

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Long before global warming became a cause célà¨bre, Lonnie Thompson was extracting climate secrets from ancient glaciers. He finds the problem is even more profound than you might have thought

Barbaro's Legacy

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

The effort to save the fallen champion shows how far equine medicine has come in recent years. And how far it still has to go

Detecting Lies

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:00:00 GMT

From chewing rice to scanning brains, the perfect lie detector remains elusive

The Smart and Swinging Bonobo

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has threatened the existence of wild bonobos, while new research on the hypersexual primates challenges their peace-loving reputation

Interview with J. Madeleine Nash, Author of "Storm Warnings"

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Nash, a science reporter, discusses her most thrilling weather experience, and her fascination with the scariest forces of nature.

Teeth Tales

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Fossils tell a new story about the diversity of hominid diets

Mirror Image

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

The first evidence that elephants can recognize themselves

Berried Treasure

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Why is horticulturalist Harry Jan Swartz so determined to grow an exotic strawberry beloved by Jane Austen?

Cougars on the Move

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Mountain lions are thought to be multiplying in the West and heading east. Can we learn to live with these beautiful, elusive creatures?

Building the New Urbanism

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Urban planners take a cue from pre-WWII cities and towns.

Old World, High Tech

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

An ancient Greek calendar was ahead of its time

Glaciologist Erin Pettit Reports from the Field

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

An ancient Greek calendar was ahead of its time

Mirror Image

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

The first evidence that elephants can recognize themselves

Interview with Steve Kemper, Author of "Cougars on the Move."

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Kemper talks about how cougars have been hated throughout history and what surprised him while researching the animals.

Building An Arc

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Despite poachers, insurgents and political upheaval, India and Nepal's bold approach to saving wildlife in the Terai Arc just may succeed.

Uphill Battle

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 04:00:00 GMT

As the climate warms in the cloud forests of the Andes, plants and animals must climb to higher, cooler elevations or die.

Unwelcome Guests

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

A new strategy to curb the spread of gypsy moths

An Interview with Rob Irion, Author of "The Planet Hunters"

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Rob Irion spoke with Amy Crawford about his article, "The Planet Hunters"

People File: Medical Sleuth

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 05:00:00 GMT

To prosecutors, it was child abuse - an Amish baby covered in bruises, but Dr. D. Holmes Morton had other ideas

Clues from a Comet

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

The first mission to collect space matter from beyond the moon offers insights into the solar system's creation

Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT

A Nobel laureate holds forth on flies, genes and women in science.

The "Girls on Ice" Share Their Experiences in the Field

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

A Nobel laureate holds forth on flies, genes and women in science.

Diamonds Unearthed: Part 1

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

In the first installment of a multi-part series, Smithsonian diamond expert Jeffrey Post, curator of the National Gem and Mineral Collection, explains how the rare crystals form

Fish Are Jumpin'

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

A coastal community struggles to preserve the North Carolina "mullet blow"

Frozen in Time

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Glaciers in the Pacific Northwest have recorded hundreds of years of climate history, helping researchers plot how quickly the planet is warming

Fish Are Jumpin'

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

A coastal community struggles to preserve the North Carolina "mullet blow"

It All Falls Down

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

A plummeting cougar population alters the ecosystem at Zion National Park

Everglades

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 05:00:00 GMT

The nation's storied wetland is the focus of the world's largest environmental restoration project. But will that be enough?

Glaciologist Puts Her Girls on Ice

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 GMT

The nation's storied wetland is the focus of the world's largest environmental restoration project. But will that be enough?

The Year Of Albert Einstein

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 04:00:00 GMT

His dizzying discoveries in 1905 would forever change our understanding of the universe. Amid all the centennial hoopla, the trick is to separate the man from the math

Wild Things: Life As We Know It Sept 06

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:00:00 GMT

Human behavior, primate intelligence, meal planning, tree-dwelling orchids and detangling history.

North to Alaska

Sun, 01 Jun 2003 04:00:00 GMT

In 1899, railroad magnate Edward Harriman invited some of the most preeminent scientists in America to join him on a working cruise to Alaska, then largely unexplored. More than a century later, the nation still has reasons to be grateful.

Saving Atchafalaya

Sat, 01 Nov 2003 05:00:00 GMT

A more than 70-year effort to "control" America's largest river basin swamp is threatening the Cajun culture that thrives on it

35 Who Made a Difference: Sally Ride

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 05:00:00 GMT

A generation later, the first female astronaut is still on a mission

Saving Mali's Migratory Elephants

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 04:00:00 GMT

A new photo library of West Africa's desert elephants is helping researchers track the dwindling herd and protect their imperiled migration routes.

35 Who Made a Difference: Tim Berners-Lee

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 05:00:00 GMT

First he wrote the code for the World Wide Web. Then he gave it away

Hiding in Plain Sight

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 04:00:00 GMT

A veteran photographer shows the extraordinary knack that some animals have for...disappearing

Otterly Fascinating

Fri, 01 Nov 2002 05:00:00 GMT

Inquisitive, formidable and endangered, giant otters are luring tourists by the thousands to Brazil's unspoiled, biodiverse waterscape

Fury Over a Gentle Giant

Sun, 01 Feb 2004 05:00:00 GMT

Floridians raise a ruckus over manatees as biologists weigh prospects for the endangered species' survival

Shore Thing

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 04:00:00 GMT

In the new Boston Harbor Islands national park area, city dwellers can escape the madding crowds

Bear Trouble

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 05:00:00 GMT

Only hundreds of miles from the North Pole, industrial chemicals threaten the Arctic's greatest predator

Chess Queen

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 04:00:00 GMT

At 22, Jennifer Shahade is the strongest American-born woman chess player ever

A Puzzle In the Pribilofs

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 05:00:00 GMT

On the remote Alaskan archipelago, scientists and Aleuts are trying to find the causes of a worrisome decline in fur seals

Incident at Big Pine Key

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 04:00:00 GMT

A pod of dolphins stranded in the Florida Keys reignites an emotional debate over how much human "help" the sea mammals can tolerate

Your Branch or Mine?

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 04:00:00 GMT

Fireflies' come-hither signals are being decoded by penlight-wielding biologists who've found treachery, also, in the summer-night flashes

Subterranean Surprises

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 04:00:00 GMT

Scientists are discovering that caves more complex than we ever imagined may yield vast riches about the origins of life

Monkey in the Middle

Mon, 01 Mar 2004 05:00:00 GMT

Blamed for destroying one of North Africa's most important forests, Morocco's Barbary macaques struggle to survive

Close Encounters of the Sneaky Kind

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 04:00:00 GMT

When it comes to mating, the brawny guy is supposed to get the girl, but biologists are finding that small, stealthy suitors do just fine.

Going to Extremes

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 04:00:00 GMT

Without the extraordinary dedication of a few conservationists, New Zealand's kakapo would likely have gone the way of the dodo

Shoot-out at Little Galloo

Sat, 01 Feb 2003 05:00:00 GMT

Angry fishermen accuse the cormorant of ruining their livelihood and have taken the law into their own hands. But is the cormorant to blame?

To Fly!

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 05:00:00 GMT

A new book traces the Wright brothers' triumph 100 years ago to an innovative design and meticulous attention to detail

Portraits in the Wild

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 04:00:00 GMT

In an unexplored region of Africa's Atlantic coast, an innovative photographer captures Gabon's bountiful wildlife

Building the Bomb

Mon, 01 Aug 2005 04:00:00 GMT

A new book about atomic scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer charts the secret debate over deployment of the first A-bomb and the anxiety that suffused its first live test

Future Shocks

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 05:00:00 GMT

Modern science, ancient catastrophes and the endless quest to predict earthquakes

Tribal Fever

Sun, 01 May 2005 04:00:00 GMT

Twenty-five years ago this month, smallpox was officially eradicated. For the Indians of the high plains, it came a century and a half too late

Fire Fight

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 04:00:00 GMT

With forests burning, U.S. officials are clashing with environmentalists over how best to reduce the risk of catastrophic blazes

The Stubborn Scientist Who Unraveled A Mystery of the Night

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 04:00:00 GMT

Fifty years ago, Eugene Aserinksy discovered rapid eye movement and changed the way we think about sleep and dreaming

Rethinking Primate Aggression

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 04:00:00 GMT

Researcher Frans de Waal shows that apes (and humans) get along better than we thought

35 Who Made a Difference: Tim Berners-Lee

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 05:00:00 GMT

First he wrote the code for the World Wide Web. Then he gave it away

Getting to the Root of Ginseng

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 04:00:00 GMT

Questions about the herb's health benefits haven't cooled the red-hot market in wild American ginseng

In the Eye of the Whirlpool

Wed, 01 Aug 2001 04:00:00 GMT

From the mythical Charybdis to the monster Maelstrom, these watery gyres thrill and chill us

Small Matters

Wed, 01 May 2002 04:00:00 GMT

Millions of years ago, leafcutter ants learned to grow fungi. But how? And why? And what do they have to teach us?

Where the Gooney Birds are

Sat, 01 Sep 2001 04:00:00 GMT

More than 400,000 albatross pairs nest on Midway Atoll, which is now the site of an extraordinary National Wildlife Refuge

It's Camelot in the Desert

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 05:00:00 GMT

For Dromedary Trekkers in Australia's Outback, it's Camelot in the Desert

America's Rare Bird

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 05:00:00 GMT

A new biography tells how the foreign-born frontiersman became one of the 19th century's greatest wildlife artists and a patron saint of the ecology movement

The Dying of the Dead Sea

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 04:00:00 GMT

The ancient salt sea is the site of a looming environmental catastrophe

Give the Devil His Due

Fri, 01 Feb 2002 05:00:00 GMT

Blame Bugs Bunny and a nasty yawn for the Tasmanian devil's bad rap

Q&A with Laura Tangley

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT

An interview with Laura Tangley, author of "Learning from Tai Shan" in the June 2006 issue of SMITHSONIAN.

What's good for the goose may not be good for you

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:51:53 GMT

Honk if you've had it up to here with geese on the golf course, in your yard, all over parks and beaches. You are not the only one

Arctic Dispatch: Reaching Toolik

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:16:28 GMT

Journalist Christine Dell’Amore travels to Alaska’s Toolik Field to observe the environmental changes occurring in the Arctic Circle

Whales on Mountaintops

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:52:03 GMT

A great fossil find high in the Chilean Andes began with a delayed flight in New York City and ended with a horseback ride from hell

Giving new life to Haida art and the culture it expresses

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:51:55 GMT

Robert Davidson and Bill Reid rediscovered their past with the help of anthropologists, old books, tribal elders and a common ancestor

Fighting For Foxes

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:24:52 GMT

A disastrous chain of events nearly wiped out California's diminutive island fox. Scientists hope it's not too late to undo the damage

Tomato Recipes

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:55:12 GMT

Chef Craig Von Foerster of Sierra Mar Restaurant at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California shares two of his favorite tomato recipes

How Squirrels Fly

Thu, 01 Feb 2001 05:00:00 GMT

Fascinated by the graceful gliding of these mammals with "wings," scientists take a close look.

Sherlock of Spuds

Sun, 01 Dec 2002 05:00:00 GMT

In a case that could reveal the villain behind the Irish Potato Famine, the gumshoe is a plant scientist

Rain Man

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 04:00:00 GMT

Snow, sleet, hail or volcanic eruption cloud physicist Peter Hobbs will find a way to fly into it

Palm Plight

Thu, 01 Aug 2002 04:00:00 GMT

Assaulted by myriad threats to their survival, palm species around the world face the likelihood of extinction

To Touch the Heavens

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 04:00:00 GMT

Noreen Grice has given the visually impaired a feel for the universe

Ice Capades

Sat, 01 Mar 2003 05:00:00 GMT

Alaska's husband-and-wife team of avalanche experts work to save lives all winter, then take to their kayaks in summer

To the Rescue

Sat, 01 Mar 2003 05:00:00 GMT

Las Vegas showman Jonathan Kraft went from riches to rags to turn a patch of Arizona desert into a refuge for abused and abandoned exotic animals

Magnificent Magnifications

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:24:54 GMT

Microscope jockeys from around the world enter their masterpieces in an annual art show

Chestnutty

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:25:05 GMT

Wielding cutting-edge science and lots of patience. James Hill Craddock hopes to restore the ravaged American chestnut tree to its former glory

Becoming a Full-Fledged Condor

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:25:01 GMT

The California condor learns from people, other condors and the school of hard knocks

Hubble's Last Hurrahs?

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:29:35 GMT

The orbiting space telescope has captured billions of years of star births and deaths, galactic collisions and the accelerating expansion of the universe. Now its own fate is in doubt

Can Great Coffee Save the Jungle?

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:31:28 GMT

Persuaded that guilt alone won't get Americans to pay more for environmentally friendly coffee, importers are trying a market approach by giving farmers the tools to grow better beans

Saving the Raja's Horse

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:31:24 GMT

British horsewoman Francesca Kelly brings India's fiery Marwari to the United States in hopes of reviving the breed

Beard's Eye View

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

When elephants began dying, Peter Beard suspected that poachers were not entirely to blame

Arctic Dispatch: 8 Looking at the Lakes

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:00:49 GMT

Alaska’s Arctic lakes are a source of methane experiments for a warming planet

Arctic Dispatch: 9 A Toolik Farewell

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:00:20 GMT

After leaving Toolik, the team finds points of interest on the road back to Fairbanks

Arctic Dispatch: Thermokarst and Toolik

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:10:24 GMT

The team studies consequences of the Arctic’s warming temperatures

Arctic Dispatch: A Polar Bear Plunge

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:10:08 GMT

A trip to the oil-rich Prudhoe Bay region ends in an Arctic swim

Arctic Dispatch: 7 The Toolik Way of Life

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:01:13 GMT

Gourmet fare, live music and 24-hour Arctic summer sun make life in Toolik hard to beat

Arctic Dispatch: Exploring the Aufeis

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:09:46 GMT

Dell'Amore and her fellow researchers climb the aufeis and meet interesting insects

Arctic Dispatch: Playing With Permafrost

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:16:53 GMT

The first field tests in the tundra look at the effects of nitrogen levels on permafrost

Arctic Dispatch: The Hike Up Jade Mountain

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:17:13 GMT

After a day of experiments and ongoing mosquito battles, Christine Dell’Amore enjoys the view from the top

Strange Plants Slideshow- Ecocenter

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:19:31 GMT

Photo Gallery: A slideshow of the world's strangest plants

National Parks Slideshow- Ecocenter

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:17:09 GMT

Photo Gallery: Experience the rich diversity of America's national parks

The Gist Blog Article-Alligator

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:27:27 GMT

Burmese pythons move into the Everglades

Masters of the Storm

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Kennedy Warne, author of "The Amazing Albatrosses," talks about dangerous waters and albatross love

Kiwi Ingenuity

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:00:00 GMT

A fleet of inventions aims to protect albatrosses from harm

Covering the Earth

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

A collection of Smithsonian's recent environmental stories

The Angler's Song

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 GMT

A poem by Izaak Walton

Horse Appeal

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT

In this interview, Steve Twomey, author of "Barbaro's Legacy," discusses how interest in the horse extends outside the racetrack

Writer Turned Scientist

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 05:00:00 GMT

In this interview, Mary K. Miller, author of "Reading Between the Lines," describes becoming a shift supervisor in the lab

Building Sustainable Cities

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 04:00:00 GMT

The 227-city U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement is just the beginning.

Finding a Home in the Cosmos

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 GMT

In a new book written with his wife, Nancy Abrams, cosmologist Joel Primack argues that the universe, far from being a meaningless void, was meant for us. Sort of.

Wild in the Yukon

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 GMT

A Danish photographer goes the extra mile to document wildlife in one of North America's most remote, most pristing areas, now coveted by mining and oil companies.

Just Looking: God Save the... Ravens

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 GMT

A Danish photographer goes the extra mile to document wildlife in one of North America's most remote, most pristing areas, now coveted by mining and oil companies.

A Celestial News Bureau

Mon, 01 May 2000 04:00:00 GMT

Three Smithsonian astronomers run a worldwide news service about what is happening overhead

The Biggest One That Didn't Get Away

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 05:00:00 GMT

A real fish tale hangs on a monster marlin caught nearly a half-century ago

Bone Specialist On Call

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 05:00:00 GMT

A Smithsonian anthropologist applies his expertise to cases of missing children and disaster victims

A New Man at Air and Space

Wed, 01 Mar 2000 05:00:00 GMT

A Smithsonian anthropologist applies his expertise to cases of missing children and disaster victims

Hawaii's Vanished Birds

Wed, 01 Mar 2000 05:00:00 GMT

For the National Zoological Park, an artist depicts the diversity of the islands' extinct avian species

Last of the Wild Buffalo

Tue, 01 Feb 2000 05:00:00 GMT

Long displayed, long dispersed, the famous Hornaday bison "family" is reunited in a new home

When Permafrost Isn't

Tue, 01 Feb 2000 05:00:00 GMT

Slowly rising temperatures are melting the frozen ground that underlies most land at high latitudes

The Man Who Invented Elsie, the Borden Cow

Wed, 01 Sep 1999 04:00:00 GMT

Slowly rising temperatures are melting the frozen ground that underlies most land at high latitudes

You Gotta Remember, Eels Are Weird

Tue, 01 Feb 2000 05:00:00 GMT

They're slimy, snaky, ugly and repulsive, but once you acquire a taste for this much-maligned species, "slippery as an eel" becomes a compliment

When the Earth Froze

Wed, 01 Dec 1999 05:00:00 GMT

The rocks tell us that at least twice, the earth has frozen over from the poles to the equator

Creature Keepers

Wed, 01 Sep 1999 04:00:00 GMT

Conservation and research remain key elements in the National Zoo's ever-expanding programs

A Census of the Wild

Wed, 01 Sep 1999 04:00:00 GMT

A government report takes a look at what we have left and where we are heading

Science Makes a Better Lighthouse Lens

Sun, 01 Aug 1999 04:00:00 GMT

A government report takes a look at what we have left and where we are heading

Putting the Brakes on Light

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 04:00:00 GMT

Light travels 186,000 miles per second in a vacuum; in Lene Hau's lab, it ambles at 38 miles an hour

New Light on Diversity

Sat, 01 May 1999 04:00:00 GMT

Holes in the canopy mean opportunity for new trees, but only if they are already waiting in the wings

Uncovering the Secrets of Forest Canopies

Thu, 01 Jul 1999 04:00:00 GMT

Holes in the canopy mean opportunity for new trees, but only if they are already waiting in the wings

Review of 'Earth Odyssey: Around the World in Search of Our Environmental Future'

Thu, 01 Jul 1999 04:00:00 GMT

Holes in the canopy mean opportunity for new trees, but only if they are already waiting in the wings

View from the Cockpit

Mon, 01 Feb 1999 05:00:00 GMT

It's a fast and furious time in science and technology, and a man who knows promises only more of the same

We're Scraping Bottom

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 05:00:00 GMT

As vessels around the world drag nets and dredges across the seabed, they slowly destroy the biome

Tasty Brazil Nuts Stun Harvesters and Scientists

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 05:00:00 GMT

A Smithsonian biologist tracks the protein-rich nuts to understand their role in the Amazonian forest

Trailing the Big Cats

Fri, 01 Jan 1999 05:00:00 GMT

For a walk on the wild side, follow the tracks of a tiger or look at a lion close up at the National Zoo

Wiring the Jersey Coast

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 04:00:00 GMT

In one spot on the continental shelf, scientists aim to understand all that happens, 24 hours a day

Expanding a Mission

Fri, 01 Jan 1999 05:00:00 GMT

The National Museum of Natural History aims to become a hub for science education

Solar? Not in My Backyard!

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 04:00:00 GMT

The National Museum of Natural History aims to become a hub for science education

Steaming into the Future

Tue, 01 Sep 1998 04:00:00 GMT

An ungainly monster, the steam traction engine helped turn the buffalo's pasture into America's breadbasket

Scoping Out the Sky

Tue, 01 Sep 1998 04:00:00 GMT

For everyday folks and presidents, too, the Naval Observatory is a fascinating place to study the stars

A Wizard's Scribe

Sat, 01 Aug 1998 04:00:00 GMT

Before the phonograph and lightbulb, the electric pen helped spell the future for Thomas Edison

When Plants Migrate

Tue, 01 Sep 1998 04:00:00 GMT

The study of how plants moved north after the last ice age could mean new directions for conservation

Dance With the Devilfish

Wed, 01 Jul 1998 04:00:00 GMT

The study of how plants moved north after the last ice age could mean new directions for conservation

Waiting, Waiting . . . CLICK

Wed, 01 Jul 1998 04:00:00 GMT

The study of how plants moved north after the last ice age could mean new directions for conservation

Charting a New Course

Mon, 01 Jun 1998 04:00:00 GMT

Establishing a permanent marine station heralds an era of progress for Smithsonian research

Expressions: The Visible Link

Mon, 01 Jun 1998 04:00:00 GMT

Darwin believed expressions of emotion reveal the unity of humans and their continuity with animals

Wow! A Mile a Minute!

Fri, 01 May 1998 04:00:00 GMT

But 60 mph was a breeze to Barney Oldfield, better known as the "speed king" of the horseless carriage world

More Violence Overhead

Sun, 01 Mar 1998 05:00:00 GMT

Bursts of gamma rays have been a mystery for 30 years; Now, with new satellites, we have some clues

A Future in Pictures

Fri, 01 May 1998 04:00:00 GMT

Computer technology is expanding the way we preserve and develop our photographic memory

A Space Invader Is Here

Wed, 01 Apr 1998 05:00:00 GMT

An intergalactic war is going on, but not the kind we used to read about in science fiction magazines

Review of 'Kingbird Highway: The Story of a Natural Obsession That Got a Little Out of Hand'

Thu, 01 Jan 1998 05:00:00 GMT

An intergalactic war is going on, but not the kind we used to read about in science fiction magazines

Around the Mall Mar 98

Sun, 01 Mar 1998 05:00:00 GMT

Behind the scenes, an expert unites teams and budgets, treasures and cases--reality and dreams

A Creek Defies the Odds

Mon, 01 Dec 1997 05:00:00 GMT

Thanks to 300 volunteers, steelhead are back again, despite highways, offices and a campus

Geology That's Alive

Mon, 01 Dec 1997 05:00:00 GMT

Volcanologist Richard Fiske loves fieldwork most of all--when he's on the job, the Earth moves

The Object at Hand

Sun, 01 Jun 1997 04:00:00 GMT

From a forest that flourished 207 million years ago, the Sherman Logs bear stony witness to a general's curiosity--and life in an age gone by

Symbolically Speaking

Sat, 01 Nov 1997 05:00:00 GMT

From a forest that flourished 207 million years ago, the Sherman Logs bear stony witness to a general's curiosity--and life in an age gone by

Wastewater Problem? Just Plant a Marsh

Tue, 01 Jul 1997 04:00:00 GMT

For some of the toughest environmental cleanups, plants can do it better and cheaper than we can

Here, Birds Are Unafraid

Mon, 01 Sep 1997 04:00:00 GMT

Galápagos seabirds tolerate human spectators, and crabs in Panama ignore cars (but hide from trucks)

Phenomena, Comment and Notes

Thu, 01 May 1997 04:00:00 GMT

Life not only thrives in the heat and violence of Earth's submarine volcanoes, it may have started there. And at least one other body in the Solar System just might have eruptions on its ocean floor

Review of 'The Demon-Haunted World', 'Einstein, History, and Other Passions', 'The End of Science'

Thu, 01 May 1997 04:00:00 GMT

Life not only thrives in the heat and violence of Earth's submarine volcanoes, it may have started there. And at least one other body in the Solar System just might have eruptions on its ocean floor

Review of 'Oddity Odyssey: A Journey Through New England's Colorful Past'

Thu, 01 May 1997 04:00:00 GMT

Life not only thrives in the heat and violence of Earth's submarine volcanoes, it may have started there. And at least one other body in the Solar System just might have eruptions on its ocean floor

Smithsonian Perspectives

Tue, 01 Apr 1997 05:00:00 GMT

The Smithsonian's gardens and greenery are things of beauty and delight as well as utility

Around the Mall & Beyond

Sat, 01 Mar 1997 05:00:00 GMT

An all-day Saturday seminar on spices - one of the many programs on the Mall, around the world, even in cyberspace, offered by the Smithsonian Associates

Mapping the margins

Tue, 01 Apr 1997 05:00:00 GMT

It's a violent world at the edges of our continental shelves, which could serve as a geology textbook

An orphanage for some big babies

Sat, 01 Mar 1997 05:00:00 GMT

Daphne Sheldrick has turned her Nairobi home into a nursery and rehabilitation center for infant elephants who have lost their families

Phenomena, Comment and Notes

Sat, 01 Feb 1997 05:00:00 GMT

As scientists probe deeper into whether animals really have consciousness, peripheral questions arise. If they think, do we really want to know what they think . . . about us?

When one of the National Zoo's gorillas goes in for tests, it's not just standard operating-room procedure

Wed, 01 Jan 1997 05:00:00 GMT

By discovering heart disease early, echocardiograms have improved life for many a human; now Washington cardiologists are using them to help great apes at the National Zoo

Feathered flights of fancy

Wed, 01 Jan 1997 05:00:00 GMT

No ordinary fowl, these birds have been bred for visual delight. For many an owner, they are just too pretty to eat

Review of 'Illumination in the Flatwoods'

Wed, 01 Jan 1997 05:00:00 GMT

No ordinary fowl, these birds have been bred for visual delight. For many an owner, they are just too pretty to eat

Smithsonian Perspectives

Wed, 01 Jan 1997 05:00:00 GMT

In the ever-expanding field of anthropology, the Smithsonian still excels in research and exhibition

Around the Mall Dec 96

Sun, 01 Dec 1996 05:00:00 GMT

Since her arrival in September, baby Chitwan has charmed visitors and curators alike; the birth of a rhino is a rare event and hasn't been seen at the National Zoo since 1974

Phenomena, Comment and Notes

Sun, 01 Dec 1996 05:00:00 GMT

Experiments at sea show we can cause phytoplankton to bloom in areas where it otherwise would not. This could remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and slow global warming

Around the Mall Nov 96

Fri, 01 Nov 1996 05:00:00 GMT

NASM's new "How Things Fly" gallery is hands-on to the max! At 50 visitor-operated displays, including a supersonic wind tunnel, you can see and feel the basic principles of flight in action

Phenomena, Comment & Notes

Fri, 01 Nov 1996 05:00:00 GMT

Most Americans believe science and technology make their lives better, two out of five are "very interested" in them, but not many know much about them or how they work

Smithsonian Perspectives

Tue, 01 Oct 1996 04:00:00 GMT

The Smithsonian is uniquely suited to run long-range research programs that monitor the state of the natural world

Conquering Polio

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 05:00:00 GMT

Fifty years ago, a scientific panel declared Jonas Salk's polio vaccine a smashing success. A new book takes readers behind the headlines

Seeing the Chesapeake as a whole

Mon, 01 Jul 1996 04:00:00 GMT

At a 2,600-acre research site near Chesapeake Bay, Smithsonian scientists are answering basic questions about how ecosystems work

They look neat upon the seats of bicycles built to view

Sun, 01 Sep 1996 04:00:00 GMT

At a 2,600-acre research site near Chesapeake Bay, Smithsonian scientists are answering basic questions about how ecosystems work

Phenomena, Comment & Notes

Fri, 01 Dec 1995 05:00:00 GMT

Today's physics appears to allow outrageous possibilities: faster-than-light travel across the galaxy, for example, or even our learning to make new universes to specification

Phenomena, Comment and Notes

Mon, 01 Apr 1996 05:00:00 GMT

When a drop of rain carries a particle of dirt off the land and into the sea, there are repercussions from deep within Earth to the nearer reaches of space

Around the Mall Mar 95

Tue, 01 Aug 1995 04:00:00 GMT

Plant and the butterflies will come: this summer the Smithsonian's new garden welcomes its winged visitors

My psychiatrist tells me I have 'sci-fitis'...

Tue, 01 Aug 1995 04:00:00 GMT

On an ordinary April day the weirdness came to town.

World's Unlikeliest Bestseller

Mon, 01 Aug 2005 04:00:00 GMT

Fifty years ago a brewer's bet spawned a compelling compendium of feats, stunts and trivia

Back from the Brink

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 04:00:00 GMT

Not every endangered species is doomed. Thanks to tough laws, dedicated researchers, and plenty of money and effort, success stories abound

Hazy Days In Our Parks

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 04:00:00 GMT

The air in many national wilderness wonderlands is getting worse. As officials debate controversial new rules to curb pollution, scientists find the sources are surprisingly far-flung

35 Who Made a Difference: Douglas Owsley

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 05:00:00 GMT

Dead people tell no talesbut their bones do, when he examines them

35 Who Made a Difference: Janis Carter

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 05:00:00 GMT

The primate who taught other primates how to survive in the wild

Reading Faces

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 05:00:00 GMT

Is that a scowl or just disgust? Facial expressions can be harder to interpret than most of us realize, but help is on the way. Read on

Kenyon's Ageless Quest

Mon, 01 Mar 2004 05:00:00 GMT

A San Francisco scientist's genetic research renews the ancient hope for a way to slow aging

To Catch A Thief

Mon, 01 Dec 2003 05:00:00 GMT

When biologists study food theft among endangered roseate terns, they find that crime most definitely pays

35 Who Made a Difference: Mark Plotkin

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 05:00:00 GMT

An ethnobotanist takes up the cause of rain forest conservation

Herd on the the Street

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 05:00:00 GMT

In Anchorage, Alaska, you never know when a moose will show up on your doorstep

Eureka!

Mon, 01 Sep 2003 04:00:00 GMT

Accident and serendipity played their parts in the inventions of penicillin, the World Wide Web and the Segway super scooter. But as Louis Pasteur once noted, "Chance favors only the prepared mind"

Channel Islands foxes; Eddie Grant...

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 05:00:00 GMT

Readers respond to the October issue:

Defusing Africa's Killer Lakes

Mon, 01 Sep 2003 04:00:00 GMT

In a remote region of Cameroon, an international team of scientists takes extraordinary steps to prevent the recurrence of a deadly natural disaster