The green-and-white banner from an Illinois high school recalls the first Earth Day 50 years ago

As the 50th anniversary of Earth Day approaches, looking at the constructive, inspiring ways communities and people are responding to a changing planet

Yes, most infectious diseases are seasonal. But waiting for COVID-19 to wane on its own is a bad idea

With the COVID-19 coronavirus causing a global pandemic, a look back at the scientists who figured out viruses and their relationship to disease

The curious set of numbers shows up in nature and also in human activities.

Tasked with curbing a 1907 outbreak, Esther Pohl emphasized the importance of clean, vermin-free environments

Bringing historical context and scientific evidence as the pandemic unfolds

It’s been 180 years since Charles Wilkes voyaged to the Antarctic continent and his journey has never been more relevant

An early childhood education expert provides tips about how to explain the ongoing pandemic to children

Dineobellator was a formidable predator and boasts the battle scars to prove it.

Though COVID-19 likely makes recovered patients immune, experts aren't sure how long protection lasts

Find a hobby, for starters, and don't forget the mission, say scientists who have worked at remote research stations

Past public health crises inspired innovations in infrastructure, education, fundraising and civic debate

The different hominid species, possibly including the oldest-known Homo erectus, existed in the region's hills and caves

Fragments of a comet likely hit Earth 12,800 years ago, and a little Paleolithic village in Syria might have suffered the impact

Researchers see promise in recruiting red siskin pet traders as conservation partners

One detects an active infection; another signals that the virus has already left the body. Both are critical for tracking the spread of disease

The pandemic has left many unable to leave harbor, creating a window for fishing grounds to recover from years of overfishing

Congratulations to first-time mother Echo the cheetah!

False information about the pandemic is rampant; here’s how experts say you can identify what news to trust and what might be faulty

The containment practices of outbreaks past could have lessons for modern epidemics

The SARS-CoV-2 virus endures for days on plastic or metal but disintegrates soon after landing on copper surfaces. Here’s why

Lendbreen, a pass high in the Norwegian mountains, was an important route from the Roman era until the late Middle Ages

You've got questions. We've got experts

While the virus seems capable of infecting some pets and wild animals, these cases probably aren’t occurring often

Paleontologists seek the ancestors that could explain how bats became the only flying mammals.

On April 22, 1970, Americans pledged environmental action for the planet. Here’s what scientists and we, the global community, have done since

A new study posits that groundwater pressure might have been a tipping point for the magma system near the eruption

The two-day virtual event will bring scientists and many other experts to highlight success stories in conservation

The Global Mangrove Alliance has a goal of increasing the world’s mangrove cover by 20 percent over the next decade

Celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Smithsonian's "David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins" with some of the biggest discoveries in human evolution

Spencer's ideas laid the groundwork for social Darwinism, but scholars say there was much more to the Victorian Age thinker than that

Meet the hugely influential polymath, who foretold of climate change and inspired artists, writers and even the founder of the Smithsonian

A new book argues that controlling cancer is within reach if scientists are able to anticipate the evolution of resistance to traditional treatments

While COVID-19 stymies travel, help conserve those things—from cacti to manta rays—that will beckon you later

The newfound 'invisible' object is only 1,000 light years from home

When a European intellectual snubbed the U.S., the well-known artist excavated the giant fossil as evidence of the new Republic’s strength and power

According to many observations, certain virus infections may play a part in the autoimmune attack that leads to type 1 diabetes. Researchers have now produced a vaccine for these viruses in the hope that it could provide protection against the disease.

Repurposing existing medicines focused on known drug targets is likely to offer a more rapid hope of tackling COVID-19 than developing and manufacturing a vaccine, argue an international team of scientists.

Researchers analyzed patient data from 10 countries. The team found a correlation between low vitamin D levels and hyperactive immune systems. Vitamin D strengths innate immunity and prevents overactive immune responses. The finding could explain several mysteries, including why children are unlikely to die from COVID-19.

The geologic record is exactly that: a record. The strata of rock tell scientists about past environments, much like pages in an encyclopedia. Except this reference book has more pages missing than it has remaining. So geologists are tasked not only with understanding what is there, but also with figuring out what's not, and where it went.

Researchers have developed a safe and accurate 3D imaging method to identify sperm cells moving at a high speed. The new method has the potential to significantly improve IVF treatments.

What kind of an effect do trees have on aerosol particle concentrations in cities? Modelling carried out at the University of Helsinki revealed that the air was cleanest on the street level with three rows of trees of variable height situated along boulevard-type city street canyons.

A new study has found an association between low average levels of vitamin D and high numbers of COVID-19 cases and mortality rates across 20 European countries.

Researchers have identified the single gene that determines how Cape honey bees reproduce without ever having sex. One gene, GB45239 on chromosome 11, is responsible for virgin births.

A new study y reveals surprising findings about the function of circadian network neurons that undergo daily structural change. The research could lead to a better understanding of how to address circadian rhythm disruptions in humans and facilitate preventing a host of associated health problems, including increased risk for cancer and metabolic syndrome.

A lipid metabolism enzyme controls brain stem cell activity and lifelong brain development. If the enzyme does not work correctly, it causes learning and memory deficits in humans and mice, as researchers have discovered. Regulating stem cell activity via lipid metabolism could lead to new treatments for brain diseases.

Data centres and digital information processors are reaching their capacity limits and producing heat. Foundational work here on optical-acoustic microchips opens door to low-heat, low-energy, fast internet.

New modeling of coronavirus behavior suggests that an intervention strategy based on shield immunity could reduce the risk of allowing the higher levels of human interaction needed to support expanded economic activity.

A new process to harness multiple disease models for outbreak management has been developed by an international team of researchers. The team will immediately implement the process to help inform policy decisions for the COVID-19 outbreak.