nature

'Psylla frodobagginsi' (left) and Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001).

These creatures don't live in Middle-earth—but they sound like they could.

A map of the 63 National Parks in the U.S.

From Acadia to Zion, the U.S. has some pretty majestic national parks. Here’s one fun fact about every single one—plus a map so you can see where they all are.

The Chimborazo hillstar is native to the Andes of Ecuador and southern Colombia.

An ornithologist discovered a hummingbird “hive” in Ecuador‘s High Andes—a major departure for the solitary animals.

Misconception No. 4 : It snows a lot.

Many alligators were found in Alachua County‘s sewage system.

Alligators living in the sewers isn’t just an urban legend.

Robert Kennicott, pictured against Alaska’s Kennicott Glacier, was a key figure in the Smithsonian’s formative years.

In 1866, Kennicott was found dead near the Yukon River. It would be 150 years before anyone knew why.

Mantis shrimp can deal incredible blows without damaging themselves, but how? The makeup of their armor is key.

The Scottish government won’t be rounding up people’s pets any time soon.

Gibellula pulchra is in the same genus as Gibellula attenboroughii.

Researchers discovered a parasitic fungus that controls spiders‘ behavior, akin to the zombie ant fungus.

The funnel they use to get around serves a dual purpose.

Newly metamorphosed Darwin’s froglet at London Zoo.

The Southern Darwin’s frog is unique in the amphibian world, and conservationists are racing to save it from extinction.

The elusive mammal was finally ready for its close-up.

You can enjoy your time at national parks without spending so much.

Discover tips to save on entrance fees, lodging, and meals while enjoying national parks.

See if you can spot the names of these common (and not so common) terms for animal apprehension.

Witness a mushroom coral on the move.

The corpse flower‘s name comes from its nasty smell.

Catch the blooming of Sydney‘s corpse flower without being exposed to its infamous odor.

Dogs make great truffle hunting helpers.

The two new truffle species hadn’t been formally identified by scientists before the canines discovered them.

Bathynomus vaderi is a supergiant isopod that can grow 12.7 inches in length.

Poppy Napping Underwater on the Poppy Cam

Meet Poppy, the newest baby pygmy hippo that‘s stealing hearts.

This isn't Australia's first tussle with mystery beach blobs. A similar incident happened in 2024.

The tiny little tar blobs could be nothing—or they could be dangerous.

A man checking out Caspar David Friedrich’s ‘The Sea of Ice.’

From post-battle landscapes to cold weather fun, the events that occurred during frosty temperatures have led many an artist to pick up their brush and get painting.