New Research

The endangered blobfish, once named world's ugliest animal, has leveraged its unusual looks to win the Internet's adoration. Can other less-traditionally appealing creatures do the same?

When It Comes to Conservation, Are Ugly Animals a Lost Cause?

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but good marketing can do wonders

These shooting plasma bursts are mysteries no more.

Scientists Figured Out How the Sun Shoots Plasma Jets

Neutral particles are behind spicules’ spectacular show

Auroras on Uranus caused by changes in its magnetosphere

Magnetic Field Around Uranus Are a Chaotic Mess

Using data from the Voyager 2 mission, researchers have modeled Uranus's off-kilter magnetosphere

The fire ant has spread like wildfire around the world, thanks to a winning combination of traits and a little help from humans.

How Humans Helped Ants Invade the World

Waves of globalization brought these warriors to new shores, where certain species spread like wildfire

New Zealand’s Iconic Pōhutukawa Tree May Have Roots in Australia

Fossils belonging to the pōhutukawa’s ancient ancestors were found on the coast of Tasmania

Mary Caswell Stoddard studies eggs at Princeton University.

Scientists Hatch a New Explanation for How Eggs Get Their Shapes

Flight ability could explain how eggs are shaped

Puppy Pics May Add Spark to Struggling Relationships

A new study asked couples to look at photo streams that paired images of their spouses with pictures of pooches

The Cairo Toe

This 3,000-Year-Old Wooden Toe Shows Early Artistry of Prosthetics

Crafted from leather and wood, the ancient Egyptian prosthesis was was adjusted to precisely fit its wearer's foot

Researchers now think that most stars—like this pair in the Perseus constellation—form in pairs.

Our Sun Probably Grew Up With a Sibling

But now its buddy is long gone

A spiny crab pulled up by the Investigator team

Australian Expedition Dredges Up Crazy Creatures From the Deep Sea

After a month exploring Australia's deepest ocean, researchers found over 300 new species of toothy, blobby and glowing animals

Fasten your seatbelts for record heat, Phoenix—just don't burn yourself while you're at it.

Half the World's Population Will Experience Deadly Heat by the End of the Century

And Arizona is kicking things off

Kepler Finds 219 New Planets

NASA released the final catalog from its planet-hunting telescope, bringing its total up to 4,034 potential planets

Dogs Will Sniff Out Stomach Cancer in New Japanese Trial

The nose knows

This elk is unimpressed by your feeble attempts to hunt her.

Female Elk Learn to Give Hunters the Slip

The majestic beasts learn how to outsmart hunters—and even modify their behavior based on the kinds of weapons used to kill them

Cyanobacteria, sometimes known as blue-green algae, are single-celled organisms that use photosynthesis to produce food just like plants do.

Need to Fix a Heart Attack? Try Photosynthesis

Injecting plant-like creatures into a rat's heart can jumpstart the recovery process, study finds

Cats rule the world. But how did they get here?

How Cats Conquered the World

Scientists use 9,000 years of feline genetics to chart their global rise to power

Mateo-Vega (derecha) muestra a los compañeros Emberá y Kuna cómo tomar medidas forestales. De izquierda a derecha, los técnicos indígenas Edgar Gariboldo, Chich Chamarro, Baurdino López, Evelio Jiménez, Alexis Solís. (Sean Mattson / Smithsonian)

Cómo Los Científicos y Grupos Indígenas Pueden Aliarse Para Proteger Los Bosques y el Clima

Nesting space is at a premium as humans tear down natural habitats.

The Early Birds Might Be Crowding Out the Bees

As humans expand, nesting space contracts—and competition heats up

Jupiter Could Be the Solar System's Oldest Resident

The early former may have set up just the right conditions for Earth to take shape

Ancient DNA revolutionized archaeology. Now, researchers think they can use it to create a GPS system for the remains of the long-dead.

Ancient DNA Could Unravel the Mystery of Prehistoric European Migration

New research pinpoints the geographic origins of ancient Eurasians, showing how the continent’s population changed

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