Natural History

An artist's impression of the extinct whale.

Extinct Whale is Heaviest Animal Ever

Paleontologists have discovered a colossal extinct whale in Peru...
A thawed roundworm

Ancient Worms Revived After 46,000 Years in Siberian Permafrost

Scientists have revived dormant roundworms frozen for 46,000 years...
The fossil of the fighting animals.

Mammals Sometimes Preyed on Dinosaurs

Dominated by dinosaurs, the Cretaceous Period was a stressful...
Snake with a bat in its mouth

Natural Wonders: Cave of Hanging Snakes

The Cave of Hanging Snakes in Mexico sounds like...
oceans

Why are Our Oceans Greener?

Scientists have noticed an unsettling trend in our oceans...
two spider mites about to do the deed

Male Spider Mites Flay Frisky Females Before Mating

Nature is metal, as the saying goes. But it's...
The oldest water in the world.

Natural Wonders: The World’s Oldest Water

Deep in a mine in Canada, an unassuming pool...
Tree swallows.

Birds Go Through Break-Ups Too 

Humans are not the only species with rising divorce...
bolteus mushroom

Mushrooms: Good Eating, But Not for Those Who Live in the Far North

Contrary to what you might think, quite a few...
tick

Ticks ‘Leap’ Onto Us Through Static Electricity

No one likes insect bites, but escaping bites from...
lonely whale in the sea

Exploration Mysteries: The World’s Loneliest Whale

Since the 1980s, a lonely call has echoed through...
Scientists view the Neanderthal markings on the walls of the cave.

Oldest Known Neanderthal Engravings Found in a French Cave

A set of engravings in a cave in France's...
An illustration of the Boxford wood.

A 6,000-Year-Old Carving Sheds New Light On Neolithic Mysteries

A retired surgeon has stumbled across the oldest piece...
Babylonian clay model showing kissing from 1,800 BC

The Oldest Kiss in the World

Most of us can vividly remember our first kiss,...
Sound waves.

Natural Wonders: Loudest Natural Sounds

French composer Pierre Schaeffer said that "sound is the...
The skull of an ancient relative of the elephant at a dig site in Florida

Retired Teacher Discovers Ancient Elephant Graveyard in Florida

Retired chemistry teacher Dean Warner was volunteering at a...
A jet stream from space.

The Discovery of Jet Streams

A mysterious, invisible force of nature lurks in the...
A meteor shower.

The Night the Stars Fell: The 1833 Meteor Shower

It was the night the stars fell. In 1833,...
A taxidermy specimen of an ivory-billed woodpecker against a black background

The Extinct Woodpecker That Just Won’t Die

Human beings have a tendency to eradicate other species...
ediacaran

New Evidence of Earth’s Earliest Mass Extinction

For as long as there has been life —...
The Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle.

Last Female of Endangered Turtle Species Dies

The Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is one...
A vintage illustration of a Tasmanian tiger on a white background

Does the Tasmanian Tiger Still Exist? It’s a Long Shot

Researchers say the Tasmanian tiger — also called the...
galileo letter

Want to See the Original Letters of Galileo, Newton, and Darwin? They’re Now Online

Science nerds, rejoice! The Royal Society, founded in 1663,...
gough island

Job Offer: Must Love Birds And Being Stranded On An Island

If living alone in a bird-filled version of Jurassic...

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