Members of the Human Origins Program team at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History describe why they love their job. [...more]
Anthropologist Deborah Hull-Walski discusses the range and significance of presidential and diplomatic gifts held in the collections of the Anthropology Department at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. [...more]
Meet Smithsonian scientist Justin Touchon, a National Science Foundation (NSF) postdoctoral researcher at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Justin's work focuses on developmental ecology and reproductive plasticity of the hourglass treefrog (Dendropsophus ebraccatus) and red-eyed treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas). Justin and his advisor, Karen Warkentin, were the first to have witnessed the frogs laying eggs in water, in addition to doing so on land -- something with major implications for the evolutionary biology of similar creatures. [...more]
Meet Rachel Collin, a staff scientist and director of the Bocas Research Station at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Rachel studies the evolution of marine gastropods (snails) and oversees multiple disciplines of marine biology at the Collin Lab in Bocas del Toro. [...more]
School's nearly back in session, but the seven young lions at the Smithsonian's National Zoo have been working hard through the summer months! Instead of learning their ABCs, they're learning behaviors that help animal care staff evaluate their health, including opening their mouth, showing their paws, getting up on a bench and laying down in practice to receive a vaccination. We've been tracking their achievements—and adorable blunders—on camera. They're certainly earning their meatballs and we think you'll be impressed by their progress. According to their teachers, keepers Rebecca Stites and Kristen Clark, all seven lions earn the same grade for effort: A+ [...more]
Meet the Smithsonian's Matthew Carrano, curator of Dinosauria at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Matthew studies all things dinosaur, but focuses on the evolutionary history of predatory (meat eating) dinosaurs. [...more]
What's possibly the most calming yet nerve-racking job in the world? Come behind the scenes of the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art to find out! [...more]
nsightful Problem Solving in an Asian Elephant. Kandula, an 8-year old Asian elephant at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, demonstrates insightful problem solving by positioning a large cube under a treat that is too high for him to reach. By standing on the tire he can reach the food. From the scientific paper "Insightful Problem Thinking in an Asian Elephant," published Aug. 18, 2011 in the journal PLoS ONE. [...more]
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)
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