Science

New research shows that abnormally cool waters in the Pacific, part of a natural cycle, have masked the warming we should have seen due to greenhouse gas emissions. When the waters go back to normal, global warming will likely accelerate.

Why Global Warming Has Paused—And Why It Will Soon Start Up Again

Abnormally cool waters in the Pacific, part of a natural cycle, have masked the underlying warming caused by humans burning fossil fuels

Red Mural, by Amber Hasselbring

A Butterfly Species Settles in San Francisco’s Market Street

Two advocates track Western tiger swallowtails through the city and use art to encourage residents to think of the fluttering creatures as neighbors

Much like bats and dolphins, some people have developed the ability to analyze bouncing sound waves to generate a picture of their environment.

How Human Echolocation Allows People to See Without Using Their Eyes

Mimicking bats and dolphins, some people have developed the ability to analyze bouncing sound waves to generate a picture of their environment

When job opportunities come through a mobile app

Think You’re Doing a Good Job? Not If the Algorithms Say You’re Not

Relying on data collected through smartphones, Gigwalk says it knows more about its workers than any company ever has

Seljalandsfoss is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. Dropping from a 200-foot-high cliff to a deep pool below, this unusual waterfall of the Seljalandsá River has a unique indentation in the rock face that allows visitors to hike behind the picturesque falls. Lush greenery and a wide variety of colorful wildflowers surround the falls. As photographer Mike Reyfman describes, "Getting in touch with the natural wonders of Iceland can be a very exhilarating and enlightening experience. Located along the south coast is one of its most breathtaking waterfalls. To take a panoramic capture of the Seljalandsfoss, a photographer must be prepared for the intense mist and huge dynamic range."

25 Stunning Photographs of the Natural World

A collection of winning photographs from the Nature’s Best Photography competition, on display now at the Museum of Natural History

“I’d rather gnaw a bean than be gnawed by continual fear.”

Scientists Investigate Whether the City Mouse Is Smarter Than the Country Mouse

Contrary to biologists' expectations, critters living in cities don't always have an adaptive edge over their rural counterparts

Five Unusual Ways Scientists Are Studying Climate Change

Fossilized urine, old naval logbooks and the recent speeds of satellites are among the unexpected records that track changing climate

What is it that makes honey such a special food?

The Science Behind Honey’s Eternal Shelf Life

A slew of factors—its acidity, its lack of water and the presence of hydrogen peroxide—work in perfect harmony, allowing the sticky treat to last forever

Optical art

These Patterns Move, But It’s All an Illusion

What happens when your eyes and brain don't agree?

Food residue encrusted on 6,000-year-old pottery fragments from Northern Europe, such as the one above, show traces of mustard seed, which was likely used as a seasoning for fish and meat.

Ancient Pottery Fragments Show That Prehistoric Humans Used Spices Too

Shards of 6,000-year-old cooking pots from northern Europe show traces of mustard seed, likely used as a seasoning for fish and meat

Sprites over Red Willow County, Nebraska, on August 12, 2013

Scientists Capture Rare Photographs of Red Lightning

Graduate student Jason Ahrns and colleagues hunt the skies for sprites—fleeting streaks and bursts of color that can appear above thunderstorms

McShea (in Posey Hollow): “Nobody has tried anything nearly as comprehensive.”

A Scientific Laboratory 170 Feet High in the Sky

Grand-scale ecology brings a Virginia forest under unprecedented scrutiny by Smithsonian researchers

About the only use modern humans have for their urine is in health screenings. But preindustrial workers built entire industries based on the scientific properties of pee.

From Gunpowder to Teeth Whitener: The Science Behind Historic Uses of Urine

Preindustrial workers built huge industries based on the liquid's cleaning power and corrosiveness--and the staler the pee, the better

By analyzing a piece of fish’s DNA, researchers have found that roughly a third of U.S. seafood is mislabeled.

How DNA Testing Can Tell You What Type of Fish You’re Really Eating

By analyzing a the DNA of fish sold across the country, researchers have found that roughly a third of U.S. seafood is mislabeled

Technology has pushed education in good and bad directions.

10 Things We’ve Learned About Learning

For starters, laptops in classrooms are a big distraction, singing phrases can help you learn a language and multitasking isn't good for your grades

The world’s reefs are fading fast.

Can Swarming Robots and Cloud Umbrellas Help Save Coral Reefs?

As reefs continue dying off, scientists have started to think more boldly about how to protect them

In new research, Japanese scientists determined that warmer temperatures have gradually made the Fuji apples mealier and less flavorful.

Climate Change Is Altering the Taste and Texture of Fuji Apples

Japanese scientists determined that warmer temperatures have gradually made the fruits mealier and less flavorful

The olinguito, a small mammal native to South America, was announced as the first new carnivorous mammal species discovered in the Western Hemisphere in 35 years today.

For the First Time in 35 Years, A New Carnivorous Mammal Species is Discovered in the Americas

The Olinguito, a small South American animal, has evaded the scientific community for all of modern history

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Waters Around Antarctica May Preserve Wooden Shipwrecks for Centuries

Some capsized ships may linger on the ocean floor indefinitely

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Why Are So Many Dolphins Washing Up Dead on the East Coast?

A Smithsonian marine biologist investigates the sudden die-off of bottlenose dolphins along the Atlantic—and suspects that human activity may play a role

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