https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/animals/RSS feed for AnimalsenThu, 24 Jul 2025 19:44:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-feared-the-worlds-smallest-snake-had-gone-extinct-they-just-found-it-again-180987044/When fully grown, the Barbados threadsnake is only three to four inches long—shorter than many earthwormsThu, 24 Jul 2025 19:44:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/octopuses-fall-for-the-rubber-hand-illusion-just-like-humans-pointing-to-a-sense-of-body-ownership-180987024/The trick that plays with awareness of one’s own limb appeared to fool all six of the cephalopods tested in a series of experimentsWed, 23 Jul 2025 15:35:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-surprising-ancient-reptile-had-a-colorful-corrugated-sail-on-its-back-new-research-suggests-it-was-used-to-communicate-180987031/A 247-million-year-old fossil from a German natural history museum reveals the secrets of MirasauraWed, 23 Jul 2025 15:00:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-fire-island-has-seen-an-explosion-in-feral-cats-180986973/In New York’s only federal wilderness area, the loss of a key predator has led to the rise of a new one—with dire consequences for the island’s native birdsWed, 23 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-odd-bony-structures-were-hiding-beneath-the-skin-of-far-more-lizards-than-thought-researchers-find-180987023/Called osteoderms, the chain mail-like plates may have helped some species adapt to Australia’s harsh environmentTue, 22 Jul 2025 19:22:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/meet-ten-tyrannosaurs-that-came-before-t-rex-from-small-feathery-creatures-to-30-foot-long-bone-crushers-180986968/Everyone knows the famous tyrant lizard king, but its relatives amaze, tooTue, 22 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/robo-bunnies-are-the-newest-weapon-in-the-fight-against-invasive-burmese-pythons-in-florida-180987018/Scientists are experimenting with robotic rabbits in hopes of luring the destructive snakes out of hiding so they can be euthanizedMon, 21 Jul 2025 18:55:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-dogs-watch-tv-that-might-depend-on-their-personalities-new-research-suggests-180987014/A survey-based study reveals how different dogs react to elements on TV, suggesting that personalized television enrichment could support animal welfare in shelters or at homeMon, 21 Jul 2025 17:23:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fossil-flipper-reveals-ichthyosaurs-hunted-in-lethal-silence-with-unique-adaptations-for-stealth-180987015/An analysis of a roughly 180-million-year-old fossil fin reveals serrations and flexibility that might have served to dampen sound as the predator swamMon, 21 Jul 2025 14:52:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discover-the-trick-that-allows-burmese-pythons-to-digest-the-bones-of-their-prey-180987006/Special intestinal cells collect excess minerals into particles the snakes can poop out, according to a new studyFri, 18 Jul 2025 18:34:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/as-interest-in-deep-sea-mining-grows-scientists-raise-alarms-about-the-possible-ecological-consequences-180987009/Gathering minerals such as nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium from the seabed could affect everything from sponges to whales. The long-term effects of these extractions remain uncertainFri, 18 Jul 2025 14:09:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cut-marks-on-animal-bones-suggest-neanderthal-groups-had-their-own-unique-culinary-traditions-180987002/Neanderthals in two nearby caves used different techniques when butchering animal carcasses in what is now Israel, according to a new paperThu, 17 Jul 2025 20:06:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/video-reveals-an-unlikely-bond-between-ocelots-and-opossums-in-the-amazon-walking-together-like-old-friends-180986994/Researchers captured the footage by surprise, with cameras initially set up to record bird behaviorWed, 16 Jul 2025 19:50:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-recover-ancient-proteins-from-animal-teeth-up-to-24-million-years-old-opening-doors-to-learning-about-the-past-180986966/Two new papers analyze fossils found in Canada and Kenya, respectively—vastly different environments for the preservation of genetic materialWed, 16 Jul 2025 15:59:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-research-on-dogs-is-helping-to-improve-cancer-treatment-180986949/Canine and human cancers bear many similarities, and studies on dogs are helping advance care for our furry friends and for usWed, 16 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-us-army-is-getting-rid-of-most-of-its-ceremonial-horse-units-180986976/Senior military leaders at five forts will have one year to transfer, adopt out or donate the horses under their commandTue, 15 Jul 2025 20:43:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-california-gull-hitched-a-ride-on-a-garbage-truck-and-took-an-80-mile-journey-to-a-compost-facility-then-it-happened-again-180986979/GPS tracking data showed the bird zooming across bridges and interstates at 60 miles per hour on two occasions in 2018Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:31:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/greenland-sled-dog-dna-reveals-a-story-of-human-migration-and-ancestry-of-the-unique-breed-180986975/Researchers analyzed ancient and modern genetic samples of the Greenlandic Qimmit breed to shed light on the long relationship between the Inuit and their dogs in the ArcticMon, 14 Jul 2025 17:06:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-did-a-large-harpy-eagle-attack-an-adult-woman-180986932/The incident, which took place in the forest in French Guiana, was an extremely rare occurrenceMon, 14 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-paleontologist-matched-two-halves-of-the-same-fossil-stored-at-different-museums-and-discovered-a-new-species-180986974/Meet Sphenodraco scandentis, a tree-dwelling, lizard-like reptile that roamed around with the dinosaurs during the Late Jurassic period roughly 145 million years agoFri, 11 Jul 2025 21:13:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-may-have-been-running-a-sophisticated-fat-factory-in-germany-125000-years-ago-180986951/New research suggests that they smashed animal bones into tiny pieces before boiling them to extract the high-calorie grease insideFri, 11 Jul 2025 18:01:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-weird-sea-spiders-dont-have-abdomens-and-instead-store-organs-in-their-legs-with-dna-scientists-are-learning-why-180986934/Researchers sequenced the knotty sea spider’s genome for the first time, revealing a missing gene that many other animals haveFri, 11 Jul 2025 17:53:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/giant-sloths-and-many-other-massive-creatures-were-once-common-on-our-planet-with-environmental-changes-such-giants-could-thrive-again-180986941/If large creatures like elephants, giraffes and bison are allowed to thrive, they could alter habitats that allow for the rise of other giantsFri, 11 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nothing-short-of-magical-scientists-discover-a-dinosaur-bone-nearly-800-feet-beneath-a-parking-lot-at-a-denver-museum-180986967/The partial vertebra appeared inside a 2.5-inch-diameter column of rock that researchers drilled, earning the title of the oldest and deepest dinosaur fossil found in DenverThu, 10 Jul 2025 19:44:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-from-the-international-aerial-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180986952/Breathtaking views of glaciers, volcanoes and animals were celebrated in the competition’s inaugural yearThu, 10 Jul 2025 15:28:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-underwater-archaeology-brings-secrets-to-the-surface-from-lost-shipwrecks-to-submerged-cities-180986950/An immersive new exhibition at the Intrepid Museum in New York City spotlights the science and technology behind the disciplineThu, 10 Jul 2025 11:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-massive-underwater-fossil-find-includes-remains-from-ancient-human-ancestors-180986957/More than 6,000 animal fossils were found in Indonesia, and two of them belong to Homo erectusWed, 09 Jul 2025 18:14:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-pregnant-ichthyosaur-fossil-discovered-in-chile-is-reavealing-more-secrets-about-the-early-cretaceous-world-180986936/The fossil helps scientists better understand not just the animal, but our planet's geologyTue, 08 Jul 2025 19:51:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bear-sized-giant-beaver-once-roamed-north-america-and-theyre-now-the-official-state-fossil-of-minnesota-180986937/The large, extinct creatures roamed the Twin Cities area more than 10,000 years ago and could grow to more than 200 poundsMon, 07 Jul 2025 19:51:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/from-kestrels-to-hedgehogs-a-closer-look-at-all-the-wild-animals-that-inhabit-rome-180986889/From antiquity to modern times, the city has been rife with creatures that creep, slither, scurry and nest among its pillars and palacesMon, 07 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-cod-have-been-shrinking-dramatically-for-decades-now-scientists-say-theyve-solved-the-mystery-180986920/Eastern Baltic cod grow to much smaller sizes than they did just 30 years ago, because overfishing altered their genes, according to new researchThu, 03 Jul 2025 20:29:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-bewildering-bronze-lions-heads-with-slightly-different-facial-expressions-found-in-ancient-roman-grave-in-israel-180986922/Similar examples of ancient lion artifacts appear to have been used as door knockers. But the newly discovered discs may have served a different purposeThu, 03 Jul 2025 17:47:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-a-deadly-circus-fire-on-the-day-the-clowns-cried-traumatized-a-community-and-led-to-lasting-safety-reforms-180986888/On July 6, 1944, a blaze broke out at a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey show in Hartford, Connecticut. At least 167 people died, and hundreds were injuredThu, 03 Jul 2025 11:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/southern-hemisphere-gull-seen-in-wisconsin-for-the-first-time-drawing-tourists-for-a-rare-glimpse-of-the-out-of-place-bird-180986918/The vagrant kelp gull mated with a local herring gull, though the chick did not survive. Experts say it's a "complete mystery" how the bird came to nest so far north in the first placeWed, 02 Jul 2025 15:40:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/orcas-appear-to-be-sharing-their-prey-with-humans-but-what-does-it-mean-180986913/Researchers documented 34 instances of purported prey-sharing behavior, which suggests orcas may be altruistic and capable of recognizing sentience in another speciesTue, 01 Jul 2025 20:21:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-killer-whales-make-tools-from-kelp-to-massage-each-other-in-a-newly-discovered-grooming-behavior-180986873/Dubbed "allokelping," it might be a unique cultural phenomenon that's as endangered as the orca population itselfMon, 30 Jun 2025 18:14:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/in-a-milestone-for-manhattan-a-pair-of-coyotes-has-made-central-park-their-home-180986892/For six years, two photographers have carefully followed the canines and documented their secret livesMon, 30 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/enigmatic-dog-sized-dinosaur-reveals-a-new-species-that-scampered-around-jurassic-north-america-180986895/The speedy, plant-eating creature lived in what is now Colorado roughly 150 million years ago, and its skeleton went on display in London this weekFri, 27 Jun 2025 20:01:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/celebrate-the-50th-anniversary-of-jaws-with-15-shark-snapshots-180986869/The classic thriller might discourage you from getting in the water, so check out these sensational shark images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest insteadFri, 27 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ten-stunning-nature-photos-from-the-big-picture-2025-180986835/From the beautiful to the bizarre, this annual photographic showcase shines a light on some of our planet’s most breathtaking species and placesFri, 27 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-lizards-mysteriously-survived-the-asteroid-strike-that-killed-the-dinosaursand-their-descendants-are-still-alive-today-180986879/Small and elusive night lizards probably persisted because they have slow metabolisms and like to hide out in rock crevices, a new study suggestsWed, 25 Jun 2025 20:21:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/after-crocs-and-lemurs-went-extinct-on-the-mainland-many-survived-on-islands-for-millions-of-years-180986875/Isolation allows creatures to thrive as their relatives perish due to the threats present on much larger landmassesWed, 25 Jun 2025 14:24:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australian-moths-are-the-first-known-insects-to-navigate-by-the-stars-revealing-a-migratory-superpower-180986857/Bogong moths use both Earth's magnetic field and the starry night sky to make twice-yearly migrations spanning hundreds of miles, according to new researchMon, 23 Jun 2025 19:05:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/explore-the-history-of-the-planet-with-david-attenborough-at-this-new-immersive-experience-in-london-180986836/"Our Story With David Attenborough" at the Natural History Museum is a 50-minute program that explores humankind's role in the planet's ongoing storyFri, 20 Jun 2025 20:52:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-first-known-sea-spider-species-that-eat-methane-with-the-help-of-bacteria-180986846/The research offers new insights on interactions between creatures on the mysterious seafloor and sheds light on the methane cycleFri, 20 Jun 2025 18:28:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-man-who-invented-the-modern-zoo-tested-out-his-ideas-on-people-first-180986839/Carl Hagenbeck believed that animals should be housed in habitats that mimicked their natural environment. Earlier, he'd followed the same guiding philosophy when exhibiting Indigenous people in "human zoos"Fri, 20 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scavenger-animals-are-in-trouble-and-that-could-spell-bad-news-for-human-health-180986845/More than one-third of species that eat some amount of carrion are threatened or declining, a new analysis finds, and that could lead to a rise in zoonotic diseasesWed, 18 Jun 2025 19:57:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/these-sandhill-cranes-have-adopted-a-canadian-gosling-and-birders-have-flocked-to-watch-the-strange-family-180986828/Ornithologists and locals wonder what the future holds for this chick being raised by much taller, but still doting parentsWed, 18 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/14000-year-old-puppies-found-in-siberia-were-young-wolf-littermates-who-dined-on-wooly-rhino-180986834/Researchers studied chemicals found in the animals’ bones, teeth and tissues, as well as genetic material from their stomach contentsTue, 17 Jun 2025 18:31:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-viking-woman-was-buried-with-a-small-dog-at-her-feet-1000-years-ago-180986792/Archaeologists unearthed the burial site during excavations in Norway. They say the discovery provides unique insights into the bonds humans form with their animalsTue, 17 Jun 2025 14:40:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-has-this-north-carolina-town-embraced-a-strange-salamander-180986824/The city of Boone has put a giant mural of the eastern hellbender downtown and its residents often imbibe a local Hazy IPA named after the amphibianMon, 16 Jun 2025 19:43:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-are-using-drones-to-unleash-thousands-of-mosquitoes-in-hawaii-in-a-bid-to-save-native-birds-heres-how-it-works-180986821/The lab-raised, non-biting male mosquitoes are meant to breed with the invasive ones on the islands and produce sterile eggs that will help suppress avian malariaMon, 16 Jun 2025 19:24:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nesting-birds-eavesdrop-on-prairie-dog-alarm-calls-to-keep-their-eggs-safe-from-grassland-predators-180986818/New research suggests long-billed curlews keep an ear out for warnings from prairie dogs in order to hide from predators and protect their nestsMon, 16 Jun 2025 18:16:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-pigs-are-causing-big-problems-in-californias-bay-area-and-their-population-seems-to-be-growing-180986798/Land managers and other authorities are ramping up efforts to trap and kill the destructive, non-native animalsFri, 13 Jun 2025 18:10:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-mountain-lion-kittens-spotted-on-trail-cameras-suggest-the-big-cats-may-be-reestablishing-a-population-in-oklahoma-180986789/Two separate adult mountain lions were recorded with cubs in different parts of the state last year, offering the first evidence confirmed by state biologists that the cats could be breeding thereThu, 12 Jun 2025 18:17:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/axolotls-may-hold-the-key-to-regrowing-limbs-and-scientists-are-unraveling-their-secrets-to-help-humans-do-the-same-180986781/With the help of gene-edited axolotls, researchers have gotten one step closer to enabling human limb regenerationThu, 12 Jun 2025 16:55:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-worm-inspired-treatments-are-inching-their-way-toward-the-clinic-180986744/Infection by certain wrigglers may reduce inflammation and fight obesity and diabetes. Scientists are working to turn the findings into therapiesThu, 12 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-had-never-seen-this-mysterious-squid-alive-in-the-wild-until-now-see-the-first-footage-of-the-elusive-creature-180986779/A three-foot-long Antarctic gonate squid was spotted swimming 7,000 feet below the surface of the Southern OceanWed, 11 Jun 2025 20:51:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-original-birkin-bag-was-made-after-actress-jane-birkin-spilled-her-belongings-on-the-ceo-of-hermes-in-1983-180986756/The iconic accessory would become one of the most expensive handbags in fashion history. Now, the prototype is heading to the auction block, where it's likely to fetch an exorbitant sumWed, 11 Jun 2025 13:53:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-out-for-these-invasive-stinging-ants-that-may-cause-life-threatening-allergic-reactions-180986770/First introduced in the 1930s, carnivorous Asian needle ants appear to be spreading across the United StatesTue, 10 Jun 2025 20:59:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whats-up-with-these-slithering-snake-sculptures-that-appeared-in-switzerland-180986736/Millions get bitten by snakes each year, and tens of thousands of those victims die. Now, global health experts are trying to get those numbers downTue, 10 Jun 2025 18:52:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-invasive-termites-are-interbreeding-in-florida-raising-concerns-that-the-hybrid-pests-could-spread-around-the-world-180986739/Previous research found that Asian and Formosan termites could produce offspring together, and now, scientists have found these creatures established in the wildTue, 10 Jun 2025 16:06:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/engineers-are-racing-to-harness-dazzling-magic-feathers-they-havent-solved-mystery-yet-180986759/The natural marvels, which do everything from enabling acrobatic flight to insulating against Antarctic cold, continue to inspire new designs and technologiesTue, 10 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-large-invasive-lizard-was-spotted-in-a-california-park-180986763/Hikers at Joseph D. Grant County Park, just outside of San Jose, saw an Argentine black and white tegu last week—and rangers are now searching for the out-of-place reptileMon, 09 Jun 2025 20:14:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/seahorse-smuggling-is-a-big-problem-despite-global-efforts-to-protect-these-beloved-aquatic-creatures-180986757/Between 2010 and 2021, authorities seized around five million individual sea horses worth more than $21 millionFri, 06 Jun 2025 17:47:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tiny-endangered-creature-that-moves-like-greased-lightning-has-been-found-in-an-unexpected-place-180986749/Trail cameras captured an elusive Leadbeater's possum in the Australian state of New South Wales, where they were thought to be locally extinctThu, 05 Jun 2025 19:59:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-australian-cockatoos-learned-to-operate-drinking-fountains-with-their-feet-to-quench-their-thirst-180986742/Birds in Sydney’s western suburbs have figured out how to get a sip from the fountains, even though they have access to nearby streamsWed, 04 Jun 2025 20:36:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/inside-the-formidable-effort-to-rehabilitate-bears-harmed-by-bile-farming-in-asia-180986688/Veterinarians in Vietnam perform surgeries, prepare special diets and craft recovery routines for moon bears to give them a better lifeWed, 04 Jun 2025 18:03:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/florida-bobcat-kills-13-foot-python-for-the-first-time-on-record-its-a-sign-of-nature-fighting-back-against-the-invasive-snakes-180986735/Burmese pythons are wreaking havoc on the Everglades ecosystem, but some native animals have been known to prey on the enormous reptilesTue, 03 Jun 2025 19:57:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-wildlife-tunnels-are-saving-thousands-of-amphibians-from-being-crushed-by-cars-in-vermont-180986727/New research finds a pair of underpasses installed under a road that crosses a migration corridor have led to an 80.2 percent reduction in amphibian deathsTue, 03 Jun 2025 15:24:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cats-can-recognize-their-owners-scent-compared-to-a-strangers-new-research-suggests-180986710/In an experiment, domestic cats spent longer sniffing cotton swabs with the scents of unfamiliar people than swabs with the scent of their ownerMon, 02 Jun 2025 17:44:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-find-the-first-evidence-of-birds-nesting-in-the-arctic-alongside-dinosaurs-180986720/The researchers analyzed rare fossils of hatchling birds found in northern Alaska, which offered the earliest evidence of the creatures reproducing in a polar regionMon, 02 Jun 2025 15:25:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-fungal-disease-ravaged-north-american-bats-now-researchers-found-a-second-species-that-suggests-it-could-happen-again-180986715/White-nose syndrome caused millions of bat deaths, and scientists are sounding the alarm that a second fungus could be disastrous if it reaches American wildlifeFri, 30 May 2025 17:55:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fearsome-megalodon-ate-basically-whatever-it-wanted-to-reach-its-daily-100000-calorie-need-study-suggests-180986712/Scientists previously assumed the giant, prehistoric sharks mostly feasted on whales, but it turns out they probably weren’t so pickyThu, 29 May 2025 20:18:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-sloths-the-size-of-elephants-once-walked-along-the-ground-heres-how-the-massive-animals-evolved-and-declined-180986691/Researchers analyzed fossils and DNA to get a big-picture view of sloth evolution and determine what drove their immense size variationThu, 29 May 2025 13:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/once-in-dire-straits-atlantic-sturgeon-are-staging-a-comeback-on-the-east-coast-180986664/From Maine to Florida, the endangered, prehistoric fish is rebounding, but a recent study shows just how vulnerable the U.S. population remainsThu, 29 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bedbugs-could-have-been-the-first-urban-pest-to-plague-human-cities-new-study-suggests-180986698/Scientists examined the genomes of two bedbug lineages to trace how their population sizes have changed over timeWed, 28 May 2025 19:28:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-the-oldest-known-tools-made-from-whale-bones-crafted-in-western-europe-20000-years-ago-180986696/Stone Age humans scavenged the skeletons of several whale species along the Bay of Biscay in what is now southwestern France and northern Spain, according to a new studyWed, 28 May 2025 17:04:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/californias-hummingbirds-have-changed-their-beaks-in-response-to-backyard-feeders-study-finds-180986693/With plenty of artificial nectar available, Anna’s hummingbirds have expanded their range northward and their beaks have tended to become longer and largerTue, 27 May 2025 18:19:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/penguin-poop-helps-drive-cloud-formation-over-antarctica-according-to-a-new-study-180986686/The ammonia from Adélie penguin guano reacts with sulfur-containing gases in the atmosphere to aid in forming clouds, which scientists say may be significant to regulating the climateTue, 27 May 2025 17:02:13 +0000