When animal care staff at the Smithsonian's National Zoo need to know when to breed their pandas or when to expect a cub they turn to the Endocrine (Hormones) Research Lab at the Zoo's Front Royal, Va. facility.

The post The science of panda cubs at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Eyjafjallajökull's eruption may be a hassle if you had any transatlantic flights planned this summer. For scientists, however, volcanic eruptions are the only way they can obtain samples from deep within the Earth to learn more about our planet, its formation, and its ongoing evolution. Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell helps put this recent eruption into perspective.

The post Geologist Liz Cottrell puts Eyjafjallajökull’s eruption into perspective appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Dr. Mary Hagedorn, a marine biologist at the Smithsonian Institution, talks about her research to understand and conserve our oceans' corals.

The post Meet Our Scientist: Mary Hagedorn – Coral Science appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Dr. Mary Hagedorn, a marine biologist at the Smithsonian Institution, talks about her research to understand and conserve our oceans' corals. To meet more scientists, visit https://insider.si.edu.

The post Coral biologist Mary Hagedorn speaks about her research to conserve our ocean’s corals appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Researchers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo's new genetics lab use animal DNA to diagnose new diseases, discover new species help in conservation efforts and solve mysteries.

The post Scientists at a new National Zoo laboratory use DNA to diagnose illnesses and discover new species of animals appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Smithsonian ecologist John Parker discusses his work with white-tailed deer and invasive plant species appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Many years of research are celebrated in the December 2010 birth of two cheetah cubs at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post After a bulldozer unearthed five statues in Ain Ghazal, Jordan in 1984, Smithsonian conservators carefully restore these otherworldy figures appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Smithsonian geologist Liz Cottrell discusses the March 11, 2011 Japan earthquake and its mechanics appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Which is more important for a career as a scientist, good grades in math or a strong sense of adventure? Hear what Smithsonian geologist Liz Cottrell has to say as she recounts her own school years and the steps that led to a career she can't imagine ever giving up.

The post Smithsonian geologist Liz Cottrell talks about what it takes to be a scientist. appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

As enjoyable as scientific work can be, says entomologist Dave Roubik, its greatest satisfactions are often long delayed. He gives the best example from his career: a seventeen-year study that finally helped to change our understanding of the notorious "killer bees."

The post Long-term killer bee study in tropics yields unexpected discovery: invasive killer bees are good for the native bees appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

In 2010 Dr. Rachel Collin visited her colleagues at the Universidad Austral de Chile in Valdivia to collect some very special snails for her research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama.

The post Smithsonian biologist Rachel Collin visits the Universidad Austral de Chile to collect special snails for her research. appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Animal care staff at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, are hand-rearing the pair of clouded leopard cubs born on March 28, increasing the chances that the cubs will be more successful at breeding later in their life.

The post Hand-rearing clouded leopard cubs at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Tom Crouch, Senior curator in the National Air and Space Museum's Aeronautics Division, discusses Thaddeus Lowe and the birth of American aerial reconnaissance during the Civil War. This presentation was recorded on May 11, 2011 on the National Mall.

The post Tom Crouch, Senior curator in the National Air and Space Museum’s Aeronautics Division, discusses Thaddeus Lowe and the birth of American aerial reconnaissance appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

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!

The post Zen and the art of fine art conservation: Behind the scenes in the Freer Gallery’s art conservation lab appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

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.

The post Meet Our Scientist: Rachel Collin, an expert in the evolution and development of snails who is working in Panama appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Learn about the ash that comes from volcanoes with Dr. Liz Cottrell, a geologist from the National Museum of Natural History appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post The Space Shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a 747 jet, is delivered to the Smithsonian on April 17, 2012 appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Museum Conservation Institute research scientist Ed Vicenzi discusses his work analyzing daguerreotypes appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Pam Wintle, senior film archivist, describes the moving image collection of the Human Studies Film Archives appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Smithsonian conservators open 2001 Jim Thorpe Wheaties Box from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Conrad Labandiera, Smithsonian palentologist, studies fossils to learn how insects got along before flowering plants arrived appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post With the recent hatching of two Cuban crocodiles, the National Zoo just got a little snappier! appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Speeding Up Science from Facebook Stories on Vimeo. In January 2011, Oregon State University ichthyologist Brian Sidlauskas led a research expedition into the little-known Cuyuni […]

The post Facebook comes to rescue of ichythyologists struggling to describe specimens appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Clip from silent edited film "Bryson Jones Travelogue: Lure of the West" (ca. 1927) shows Mount Rushmore National Memorial under construction, including blasting off cliff face, scaffolding, men working, and the completed monument.

The post Construction of Mount Rushmore National Memorial from the Smithsonian’s Human Studies Film Archives appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post How do paleontologists reconstruct environments from the ancient past? appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Barro Colorado Island: The Smithsonian’s research outpost in the Panama Canal appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Most earthworms in U.S. soils aren’t native–and they are threatening America’s forests. Smithsonian ecologist Melissa McCormick explains how earthworms can be good for gardens and […]

The post Ecosystems on the Edge: Earthworm Invaders appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

One of Italy’s greatest treasures, Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex on the Flight of Birds, will be exhibited at the National Air and Space Museum from […]

The post da Vinci’s “Codex on the Flight of Birds” will be on view at Air and Space Museum, Sept. 13-Oct. 22. appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

See our ancient ancestors come to life through paleoartist John Gurche’s realistic human likenesses for the Smithsonian’s Hall of Human Origins. “The human story is […]

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Ted Schultz, research entomologist at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, describes how ants use their incredible sense of smell along with their ability to […]

The post Ant Communication: Do Ants Use Smell to Talk? appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

The post Join the longest conversation in tropical biology appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Ever wonder why only male peacocks have such extravagant plumage? We ask caretaker Gwendolyn Cooper at Smithsonian’s National Zoo to explain.

The post Why are male peacock feathers more colorful appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History released a new mobile app “Skin and Bones” Jan. 13. The free app is available for download in […]

The post Museum specimens come to life in new “Skin and Bones” mobile app appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Scientists from the Migratory Bird Center of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute are using transmitters to track the movements of shorebirds–the long-billed curlew, red knot, […]

The post Studying migratory connectivity of shorebirds on the Texas coast appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Seven red panda cubs were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute! The cubs were born to mothers Nutmeg, Regan and Leo Mei. Keepers are […]

The post Red Panda Cubs Born at Conservation Biology Institute appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Identifying and understanding the migratory connectivity of birds throughout an entire annual cycle (not just the times of year they are in your back yard), […]

The post Video: Protecting songbirds by Better Understanding their Migratory connectivity appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A team of some 30 taxonomists, many from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, accompanied by renowned photographer Christian Ziegler, conduct a week-long bioblitz on Cobia […]

The post Bioblitz!! Cobia Island, Panama appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Five critically endangered Cuban crocodiles hatched at the National Zoo’s Reptile Discovery Center between July 29 and Aug. 7. The eggs were laid by Dorothy, […]

The post Five Critically endangered Cuban crocodiles hatched at National Zoo appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A small Ontario company is putting together one of the most complete T. rex ever found. It will be on display at the Smithsonian.

The post T-rex reconstruction appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Jessica Lunt, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Marine Station in Fort Pierce, Fla., shows how her oyster sampling fieldwork looks at what lives on these […]

The post Florida Oyster Reef Communities appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

In an excerpt from “60 Minutes” on Sunday, Nov. 1 2016, Scott Pelley follows National Museum of African American History and Culture director Lonnie Burch […]

The post Slave Ship Artifacts Recovered appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Food is an important element of Basque life. In the Ostatua Kitchen tent at the Smithsonian’s 2016 Folklife Festival, chefs from two Basque culinary schools […]

The post Basque Country & Cheese appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

To mark the 47th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon-landing mission, the Smithsonian has made available a high-resolution 3-D scan of the command module “Columbia,” […]

The post Apollo 11 Command Module in 3D appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

This is a short film showing the process of the detail paint work on the conservation of the original U.S.S. Enterprise studio model. The detail […]

The post U.S.S. Enterprise studio model conservation appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

This video is from a course on Taxonomy and Ecology of Caribbean Sponges, held in the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s Bocas del Toro Research Station […]

The post Caribbean Sponge Ecology appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Oct. 4, 2016—The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute welcomed an Eld’s deer fawn Oct. 2 around 4:30 p.m. Both the fawn and her mom Sienna appear […]

The post Eld’s Deer Fawn Born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Click here to read more about the work of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. The Smithsonian has been celebrating innovation in American culture for more than […]

The post Stephen Hawking Congratulates LIGO Team on its Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The Moon and its surface provide insight into the early history of the solar system in this video from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space […]

The post Uncovering the Moon’s Secrets appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Join Dr. Elizabeth Cottrell as she explores the volcanoes of Alaska’s Western Aleutian Islands.

The post Smithsonian volcanologist Elizabeth Cottrell explores Alaskan Volcanoes appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.