Pure Science

Smithsonian Science

Pinning down the most titanic of the large sauropod dinosaurs is not an easy task, since the odds were generally against the biggest ones being buried and preserved

Smithsonian Science

Researchers are tracing the brain and body’s response to aesthetic expression in search of a scientific value to art

Smithsonian Science

“Baby brain” isn’t the deficit it’s stereotyped to be, research suggests. Neural adaptations during pregnancy can prime soon-to-be-moms to become more attuned to their children and enhance social cognition

Smithsonian Science

Researchers around the planet grew up watching documentaries hosted by the English broadcaster and naturalist, which sparked their love of the natural world. Now, their discoveries become tributes to his legacy

Smithsonian Science

Wolf-dog hybrids are growing far more common in Italy, raising scientists’ concerns for the future of the wolves

Smithsonian Science

Survivors have a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular disease, pain, insomnia, psychosocial distress and new cancers. Many, patient advocates say, are not receiving adequate long-term care

Smithsonian Science

Pesticides, habitat loss and climate change have taken their toll on the beloved insects. But the experts working with them still find hope for their future

Smithsonian Science

Scientists speculate that the wild cats are trying to improve hydration or ease their cubs’ transition to solid food. The finding points to resilience in one of the world’s most endangered felines

Smithsonian Science

Intensifying wildfires across the continent are spewing air pollution, putting human health at risk, particularly Americans living with chronic illnesses

Smithsonian Science

From preserved plants to T. rex, the material found in these Late Cretaceous rocks has resulted in countless breakthroughs for paleontologists

Smithsonian Science

As the historic lunar flyby comes to a close, space companies and nations around the world are also shooting for the moon. Upcoming landings aim to change the landscape of space exploration

Smithsonian Science

Gretchen Kay Stuart has chronicled the work of a small team of biologists who are trying to keep a little known and breathtakingly beautiful endangered species from disappearing

Smithsonian Science

A triple threat of pollution, extinction and warming temperatures is altering the way the planet smells. Scientists are only beginning to understand the stakes for humans

Smithsonian Science

In Los Angeles, scientists are delighted to decode one of the richest fossil records on Earth

Smithsonian Science

When you see this primate's nose, you know you're in Borneo, where efforts are underway to restore its habitat

Smithsonian Science

The large swallows have nested alongside human settlements for centuries. Now, the birds' breeding success depends on caretakers who are beginning to age out of the role

Smithsonian Science

Wednesday evening, a human mission to the moon lifted off for the first time in more than 50 years. These 13 photographs capture what it was like to experience the moment

Smithsonian Science

Even the scientists who study the animals rarely see them except on camera. But Gretchen Kay Stuart spent a season documenting them up close

Smithsonian Science

With an incredible sail and heavy bones that might have acted as ballast, Spinosaurus seems primed for snatching fish. The creature has long captivated the public, from its early mysteries to the recent discovery of a new species

Smithsonian Science

Scientists are using an array of instruments to detect other planets, some of which may harbor life—and others that most definitely don’t

Smithsonian Science

One leading botanist is scouring remote corners of the earth to find new species that could keep our mugs full

Smithsonian Science

Patients with difficult-to-diagnose conditions like endometriosis are often sent home with diagnoses like anxiety or bipolar disorder

Smithsonian Science

Auroras have long mystified humanity. Now that we know what they are and why they happen, we can better predict how best to experience them

Smithsonian Science

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show just why penguins have waddled into our hearts

Smithsonian Science

These fascinating serpents embody acclaimed qualities including cunning and intelligence

Smithsonian Science

Researchers hope the designation of several species of land snails, or kāhuli, will lead to conservation

Smithsonian Science

Roughly 201 million years ago, drastic changes extinguished many forms of life and led to conditions that allowed the terrible lizards to thrive

Smithsonian Science

Ivan Kashinsky has traveled the world for Smithsonian magazine, but when disaster struck earlier this month, he rushed home to point his lens at his own neighborhood