Subscribe 
5 rabbit realities
In celebration of the annual spring appearance of the Easter bunny on Sunday, April 8, Smithsonian Science offers these five facts from the book "Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide" [...more]
Archive | Featured
Howler monkey born at National Zoo
The young primate seems bright, alert, and increases its activity and independence day by day. [...more]
Featured, zoology Comments (1)
Preventing home invasions means fighting side-by-side for coral-dwelling crabs and shrimp
The crustaceans are much more effective when they fight together than when they fight alone, a process McKeon calls the Multiple Defender Effect. “It is a clear example of synergy, and one that underscores the importance of biodiversity in the ocean.” [...more]
Featured, conservation biology Comments (0)
“Ordinary” black hole discovered in a galaxy 12-million-light-years away
An international team of scientists has discovered an ‘ordinary’ black hole in the galaxy Centaurus A. This is the first time that a normal-size black hole has been detected away from the immediate vicinity of our own Galaxy. [...more]
Featured, astrophysics Comments (0)
Planet starship: runaway planets zoom at a fraction of light speed
Seven years ago, astronomers boggled when they found the first runaway star flying out of our Galaxy at a speed of 1.5 million miles per hour. Theorists wondered: Could the same thing happen to planets? New research shows that the answer is yes. [...more]
Featured, astrophysics Comments (0)
Meet the 125-million-year-old pollinator “Jeholopsyche liaoningensis”
Jeholopsyche liaoningensis is a new genus and species of flying insect from northeastern China, recently revealed in two new fossil specimens. [...more]
Featured, paleontology Comments (0)
Extremely rare Guam rails hatch at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
A baby boom is underway at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Two Guam rail (Gallirallus owstoni) chicks hatched March 3 and 4; they join six others in the Zoo’s collection—three of which live at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va. [...more]
Featured, conservation biology, zoology Comments (0)
New invasive species database allows public to ID marine invaders with a home computer
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center has created NEMESIS--National Estuarine and Marine Exotic Species Information System--an online public database that provides key information about the non-native marine species throughout the United States. [...more]
Featured, conservation biology Comments (0)
Meet our Scientists—Videos!
Science Spotlight
Scientists from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center have found that fledgling catbirds living in the suburbs are extremely vulnerable. Almost 80 percent are killed by predators before they reach adulthood. Nearly half of the deaths are connected to domestic cats. The team studied catbird nests in 3 suburban neighborhoods in Maryland: Spring Park, Opal Daniels Park, and Bethesda. Learn more about this 2011 study by clicking here. (Catbird photo by Gerhard Hofmann)
Categories
- Featured (243)
- Research Topics (53)
- New Acquisitions (43)
- Book Review (16)
- Video (101)
- Meet Our Scientists (16)
- Science Spotlight (98)
- anthropology (52)
- astrophysics (106)
- conservation biology (147)
- geology (26)
- materials science (15)
- paleontology (39)
- zoology (190)
Archives
- May 2012 (18)
- April 2012 (23)
- March 2012 (22)
- February 2012 (23)
- January 2012 (17)
- December 2011 (17)
- November 2011 (18)
- October 2011 (21)
- September 2011 (23)
- August 2011 (25)
- July 2011 (23)
- June 2011 (31)
- May 2011 (29)
- April 2011 (28)
- March 2011 (29)
- February 2011 (28)
- January 2011 (26)
- December 2010 (20)
- November 2010 (22)
- October 2010 (21)
- September 2010 (17)
- August 2010 (16)
- July 2010 (9)
- June 2010 (13)
- May 2010 (8)
- April 2010 (11)
- March 2010 (17)
- February 2010 (6)
- January 2010 (11)
- December 2009 (9)
- November 2009 (11)
- October 2009 (13)
- September 2009 (12)
- August 2009 (9)
- July 2009 (12)
- June 2009 (3)
- May 2009 (2)