Recent geologic mapping of the Medusae Fossae Formation on Mars—an intensely eroded deposit near the northern edge of the cratered highlands—has revealed a wider distribution of its western component than was previously recognized.

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A new video to help aviators identify the cause of bird strikes has been posted on YouTube by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services Airport Wildlife Hazard Program and the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

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A new study has unveiled how the tiny hummingbird adapts to flying in heavy rain.

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stronomers have used NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to find evidence our Milky Way Galaxy is embedded in an enormous halo of hot gas that extends for hundreds of thousands of light years.

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Marmosets on track for obesity appeared to be more efficient in their feeding behavior. “Although all animals consumed the same amount of liquid, the ones […]

The post Obese marmosets are more developmentally advanced as infants, study shows appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

It is one of the most sensitive noses in the animal kingdom but what its owner seeks is no pungent bed of roses, in fact […]

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Native Americans and America’s early colonists ate many more blue crabs than modern researchers previously thought, according to a team of scientists studying crab remains […]

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A new DNA study of ancient corn kernels and cobs from archaeological sites across North America has settled a long debate as to exactly where […]

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A case of mistaken identity turned out to be the key for proving that a prehistoric aquatic reptile did not lay eggs, but rather gave […]

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Prehistoric human populations of hunter-gatherers in a region of North America grew at the same rate as farming societies in Europe, according to a new […]

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A social media celebrity was born last week when the bright lights and camera of NOAA’s remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer zoomed in on a […]

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To surprise their prey, some species of seabirds dive into the water at speeds greater than 50 miles per hour. A human diver entering the […]

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Four years after conservationists relocated 570 desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) in California from a threatened habitat to a new nearby location, the tortoises outwardly appeared […]

The post Smithsonian Study shows relocated desert tortoises reproduce at lower rate appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Finding clean ways to store water is a challenge that humans have faced for millennia. In a new paper in Environmental Health, anthropologist Sabrina Sholts […]

The post Study shows ancient California Indians risked toxins from bitumen-coated bottles appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

In the early 20th century, Canada geese were considered endangered in the U.S. So in the 1950s and 1960s, birds from the Midwest were released […]

The post Study of bacteria inside guts of wild Canada geese shows greater danger than earlier studies exposed appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

We’ve seen a serious series of super moons this summer and the show’s not over yet. Mark your calendars: the next one will light up […]

The post Cutting through the dust: Radar shows moon’s true face for first time appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Nearly four billion years ago, life arose on Earth. Life appeared because our planet had a rocky surface, liquid water, and a blanketing atmosphere. But […]

The post Sun-like Star Shows Magnetic Field Critical for Life on the early Earth appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

New results from a massive study at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute show that interactions among community members play an important role in determining which organisms thrive.

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Scientists have long known that in the tropics shade-grown coffee plantations provide critical habitat for migratory and resident birds. Now a new survey conducted in […]

The post Shade-grown coffee plantations are mammal friendly as well, study shows appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The Earth’s changing climate could cause the extinction of up to a third of its parasite species by 2070, according to a global analysis reported […]

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(The Paypers) Consumer expectations for convenience have increased significantly across a variety of markets, and quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are no...

Invasions of alien species are rising at an alarming rate, largely due to growing global trade and transport routes. Preventing the successful establishment of alien species by better understanding the factors determining success is a step toward limiting the threat of future biological invasions. Statistical modelling using observed bird invasion data — including location, event and species-level factors showed which factors were key to successful establishment by the alien species.

When most people hear the word "pollinator," they think of bees and butterflies. However, certain beetles are known to pollinate plants as well, and new fossil evidence indicates that they were doing so 20 million years ago.

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A new class of drugs called HIF-2 inhibitors is more effective and better tolerated than the standard of care drug sunitinib in treating kidney cancer, researchers with the Kidney Cancer Program at Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center have found.

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Standards for environmental management, such as EMAS and ISO 14001, aim to help organisations become more sustainable, but they have received little evaluation. A new Italian study is the first to quantitatively compare the impacts of these two standards. Its results suggest that EMAS's stipulation that organisations must report their ongoing performance may bring sustained environmental benefits in the longer term.

Policies to reduce packaging are effective as long as they remain in place for at least five years and aim for an absolute reduction in packaging volume, experiences from the Netherlands suggest. A study of Dutch packaging policy found that packaging levels fell when such policies were in place, but that the amount of packaging has since risen as policies have become more short-term and focused on reducing packaging levels relative to changes in GDP.

Recycling has significant environmental benefits and is key to a circular economy. The EU has set a goal for Member States to recycle 50% of their municipal waste by 2020 and plans to set a 65% target for 2030, although progress towards this goal is variable. This study assessed a waste separation scheme in Malta, a Member State with traditionally low levels of recycling. Even though mixed waste was collected more frequently and for free, residents contributed to the voluntary recycling scheme, with participation increasing over time. This study provides useful insights for developing voluntary policy approaches.

A study has evaluated three types of media campaign conducted by a large UK supermarket to encourage shoppers to reduce their food waste. These used social media, an e-newsletter and a print/digital magazine, respectively. Although they all appeared to lead to reductions in food waste to some extent, similar behavioural changes were also seen for customers who had not participated in any of the campaigns.

To everything there is a season -- even divorce, new research from University of Washington sociologists concludes.

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Rewilding, a process of passive management focused on restoring natural ecological processes and reducing human influence on landscapes, could be used to restore the increasing amounts of abandoned agricultural land in Europe to more biodiverse wilderness. A new study has designed a framework to measure potential for rewilding in areas across Europe, highlighting in particular the potential of Natura 2000 sites and suggesting specific aspects of wilderness that future policies could address.

Invasive alien species pose a threat to biodiversity, human health and the economy. This study describes six alien species indicators for Europe, showing that the scale and impact of biological invasions are increasing across all indicators. The societal response has also increased in recent years. The researchers say their framework could serve as a basis for monitoring the efficacy of recent EU legislation.

A new tool has been developed which highlights ‘hot spots’ of pharmaceutical pollution in Europe, where human health and aquatic environments could potentially be affected. The results suggest that the substances and locations posing the greatest risk are not the same for the aquatic environment as for human health.

New figures released this week show a decline in suspected coronavirus cases across the UK's offshore oil and gas sector.

Rigzone panelists offer their top oil market hits and misses for the week ending May 8, 2020.

Comedian beats up BP CEO look-alike on 'Colbert Report'.

This nun in Ireland shows off her soccer skills in a game of keepie uppie with a police officer.

Yoga made a difference in physical health, flexibility and even pain levels.

Video: Images continue to appear showing the scale of the tsunami. ITN's Louisa James describes the rescue of one woman, plucked to safety as the water surged t

Portugal predicts that renewables will satisfy its mainland electricity needs by 2040.

Biologists map Earth's mammal diversity in a parallel universe without human civilization.

Spliced from thousands of screenshots of the planets, NASA has created a new video of Mercury that shows off the planet's diversity in terrain.

A giant crater on Mars may have been able to support microbial life for millions of years in the ancient past.

From animals and architecture to treasures and wild weather, these are the shows we’ll be watching this month.

Programs about space, nature, science, and animals domestic and wild come to TV this month.

This month's best programming is peppered with jobs of all shapes and sizes, the ramifications of climate change and plenty of amazing animals.

Using public data from the U.S. government, a software engineer has made a stunning map of every river in the Lower 48 states.

Pittsburgh's newest high-rise displays building performance stats in a most stunning manner.