Discover Unique Adventures at These Five Minnesota State Parks
From towering pines and fish-filled lakes to iconic wilderness areas, Minnesota’s parks and forests have it all
A Revealing Look Into the Surprisingly Tricky Sex Lives of Birds
Even among the most durable migratory bird pairings, sexual exclusivity is rarely part of their relationship
You Might Think of Shrimp as Bugs of the Sea. But a Remarkable Discovery Shows the Opposite: Bugs Are Actually Shrimp of the Land
A recent study suggests that insects branched out from crustaceans on the tree of life
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
See 15 Photos That Will Remind You to Appreciate the Rain
Take a look at these Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest pictures of this precious precipitation
Record-High 736,000 Sandhill Cranes Flock to Nebraska During Spring Migration Peak—With No Signs of Bird Flu, Despite Concerns
After more than 1,500 of the lanky birds died in Indiana, wildlife biologists in Nebraska were on high alert for the virus—but so far, the visiting birds seem happy and healthy
Getting Annoyed at Your Noisy Neighbor? Spiders Are, Too. New Research Finds They’ll Build Webs Differently in Loud Conditions
In lab experiments, spiders changed how they constructed their webs in noisy environments, and rural and urban spiders responded differently
Studying This Slow-Moving Alaskan Landslide May Help Avert Future Disaster
If the landslide at the Barry Arm fjord collapses, its falling ice and rock could generate a devastating 650-foot-high tsunami
These Were the Most—and Least—Visited National Parks in 2024
America’s national park sites saw a record number of visitors last year. Great Smoky Mountains, Zion and Grand Canyon national parks are perennial favorites among travelers
Nine New Tardigrade Species Discovered Thanks to the Efforts of Danish Schoolchildren
The budding scientists collected the tiny water bears in a massive citizen science project that involved almost 30,000 participants
Tiny Antarctic Krill Benefit the Planet in Big Ways, but Face a Barrage of Threats
The bountiful creatures sequester carbon and are a vital food source for marine predators, but their future is uncertain
Nearly Half of the Colorful and Charismatic Heliconia Tropical Plant Species Are Threatened With Extinction, New Study Reveals
Using data from over 10,000 herbarium specimens, Smithsonian scientists uncover the urgent conservation needs of the plants, which are critical to tropical ecosystems
Inside the Herculean Effort to Study and Save the World’s Smallest Sea Turtle
After years of steady gains, a decades-long conservation program dedicated to the Kemp’s ridley hits rough seas
What Happens to a Tree That Dies in a Forest?
Rotting logs turn out to be vital to forest biodiversity and recycling organic matter
See the Breathtaking Landscape Paintings Inspired by the Boreal Forest, From Europe to North America
Titled “Northern Lights,” a new exhibition in Switzerland showcases artworks of the taiga made between 1888 and 1937
How a Fragile Insect Living 100 Million Years Ago Becomes a Fossil
A bug, a dinosaur and a tree intersect, creating the perfect conditions for resin to capture a moment in time
Meet the ‘Wooly Devil,’ the First New Plant Genus Discovered in a National Park Since 1976
A volunteer spotted the tiny, fuzzy plant with maroon florets while exploring the remote northern corner of Big Bend National Park in Texas
A Brief and Amazing History of Our Search for Life in the Clouds
By collecting samples after climbing a high peak and firing rockets with special traps into the upper atmosphere, scientists have found microbes living in thin air
Watch California’s Internet-Famous Bald Eagles Tend to Three New Eggs, Expected to Hatch Soon
Last year, the mated pair Jackie and Shadow also incubated three eggs—but none of them hatched. This year’s “pipping period,” when chicks may break out of their shells, begins in early March
Will the Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry End the Pangolin?
The creature is being trafficked across Africa and Asia to fuel a steady demand for their scales, an ingredient in unproven remedies
Can a Small Town’s Protections for Albino Squirrels Inspire Other Cities to Guard Wildlife Against Cats?
Olney, Illinois, has taken steps to protect an iconic mammal from domesticated felines, setting a possible model for other places to follow
Page 3 of 49