Nature & Wildlife

There are plenty of objects and artifacts at the Smithsonian that are old. But at the National Zoo, there’s not much older than Rulon and Chyna.

With artificial intelligence and careful modeling of fossilized wings, researchers reproduced how some extinct, katydid-like insects might have made noise.

The floating forest appeared in a well-mapped reservoir in British Columbia. Its presence and vanishing act have puzzled locals and officials at the power utility that operates the lake, but other similar islands exist elsewhere.

From the magnificent mountains of New England to the desert landscape of northern New Mexico, the tools can help you make the most of nature’s upcoming wardrobe change.

The winners of the 17th annual contest reveal the beauty of birds, the splendor of their migratory journeys and the risks they face.

Among the most charismatic coastal birds around the world, pelicans stand out thanks to their massive net-like bills and throat pouch used to scoop up prey out of the water.

Although prized in the United States, the crustaceans have been decimating ecosystems and the fishing industry in Italy. Experts hope that an army of natural predators—common octopuses—can help contain the invasive species’ spread.