Wildlife

Tetiaroa is a haven for wildlife, including sea turtles, crabs, seabirds, sharks, coral and fish.

Marlon Brando Wanted to Build a ‘University of the Sea.’ These Scientists Are Bringing the Late Actor’s Vision to Life

On Tetiaroa, a vibrant coral atoll dotted with sandy islets, archaeologists, marine biologists and cultural practitioners are working together to improve understanding of a unique ecosystem

A baby pygmy marmoset, under the care of an older member of its cooperative family group, perches on a bough in a gallery forest on the banks of the Aguarico River in eastern Ecuador.

They're Adorable. And Endangered. Meet the World's Smallest Monkey: the Pygmy Marmoset

The cute creatures are chatty, family oriented—and facing a shrinking habitat in the remote forests of Ecuador

In 2024, engineers used a fluorescent protein found in some jellyfish to create a non-toxic spray that highlights fingerprints at a crime scene.

Seven Scientific Discoveries From 2024 That Could Lead to New Inventions

From indestructible tardigrades to body-merging comb jellies, animals can teach humans so much about medicine, robotics, aging and survival

Though they feed along coral reefs, hawksbills return to the beach to nest. Shane Gross, recently named 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year, captured this image in Barbados.

Can a New DNA Database Help Save This Incredible Sea Turtle?

The shells of the hawksbill sea turtle have been used for luxury items for centuries, but with the species now endangered, new technology is pinpointing where protections are needed most

A scorpionfish swims along an unnamed seamount on the Nazca Ridge in the Pacific Ocean.

The Ten Most Awe-Inspiring Ocean Moments of 2024

From animal journeys across oceans to the discovery of dozens of new species in the deep sea, these stories wowed us

Paleontologists made discoveries about a wide variety of dinosaurs over the past 12 months.

The Top Ten Dinosaur Discoveries of 2024

From the realization that paleontologists still haven’t found the biggest dinosaurs to the unearthing of a small burrowing dino, the year has been marked by awe-inspiring finds

A horse at the Minnesota State Fair receives attention and affection from visitors.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

These 15 Majestic Photos Show Just Why Humans Adore Horses

To commemorate the National Day of the Horse, see herds of equine images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

The life spans of these animals amaze scientists.

From Giant Tortoises to Immortal Jellyfish, These Impressive Animals Are Eight of the Longest-Living Species on Earth

Aging gracefully comes naturally to these creatures, which can live for hundreds, and sometimes even thousands, of years

Scientists have discovered the strongest evidence yet that healthy vertebrates can have brain microbiomes.

Fish Have a Brain Microbiome. Could Humans Have One Too?

The discovery that other vertebrates have healthy microbial brains is fueling questions about our own brains

More than 3,000 known dragonfly species exist.

14 Fun Facts About Dragonflies, From Their Lethal Hunting Prowess to Incredible Migratory Feats

The colorful insects can help humans by eating mosquitoes and will gather in mysterious swarms

A painted lady perches on a flower.

Where Do Butterflies Migrate From? Clues Can Be Found in Pollen on Their Bodies

Trillions of insects move around the globe each year. Scientists are working on new ways to map those long-distance journeys

Over the last few decades, wild turkeys have moved into cities, where they thrive thanks to few predators, abundant food and plenty of space to roam and roost.

Why Are Urban Turkeys Thriving?

As many wild populations decline, some city dwellers flourish—and may become a source for reintroductions to rural areas

Straw-colored fruit bats typically start drifting into the park around October and leave in January.

The World's Largest Mammal Migration Is Taking Place in Zambia Right Now

Each year, millions of straw-colored fruit bats descend on Kasanka National Park for a few months, and scientists are working to understand their mysterious journey

An earwig with eggs

A Deep Look Into the Wacky and Wild Lives of Earwigs

The insects participate in elaborate courtships, are devoted parents, occasionally eat each other and have a gregarious nature

Different species of frogs call out in various ways, and they may sound like musical instruments, construction tools or other animals.

From a Motorcycle Revving to a Pig Oinking, Eight Amazing Sounds Made by Frogs

All over the world, different types of frogs call out in various ways to warn others or attract mates

The Santa Marta sabrewing, a highly elusive bird, showed itself in 2022, in Colombia, giving hope to conservationists.

Dedicated Scientists and Birdwatchers Tracked Down These Five ‘Lost’ Birds

A worldwide search party is using 21st-century tools to uncover long-unseen species, one of which hadn't been found since the 19th century

Two ivory-billed woodpeckers in one of the historic photographs that Arthur Allen captured in the field in 1935.

The Hero Who Convinced His Fellow Ornithologists of the Obvious: Stop Shooting Rare Birds and Watch Them Instead

Too late to save the ivory-billed woodpecker, Arthur Allen changed science forever with his seemingly simple idea

In Ecuador, a glass frog from a new species identified in 2022, Hyalinobatrachium nouns, hangs from the underside of a leaf, seen from below.

The Andes’ Translucent Glass Frogs Need to Be Seen to Be Saved

The amphibians are at the mercy of mining operations that are destroying their ecosystems, but local communities throughout South America are fighting back

A Komodo dragon flicks its tongue out on Komodo Island, part of Komodo National Park in Indonesia.

The Most Infamous Komodo Dragon Encounters of the Century, From a Fatal Attack on an 8-Year-Old Boy to a Zookeeper Bitten by a Battling Animal

As tourism to see the endangered species is on the rise and their habitat decreases, on some very rare occasions, the animals bite

An armored mist frog warms itself on a wet rock. Once thought extinct, this species was rediscovered in locales where it has access to the sun’s warmth, which can help frogs fight the often-deadly fungal infections.

How Frogs Are Kicking Back Against a Lethal Fungus

Scientists are seeing signs of resistance to the infections that have been wiping out the world’s amphibian populations—and they're developing methods to fight the pathogen

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