A fox stands next to a car in a parking lot

Uptown Fox: On Wildlife in Cities

Urban environments are harsh, with only fragmentary remains of natural habitat. But human activity has driven a rise of wildlife in cities.
Colourful sponge garden with Sea Tulips (Pyura spinifera). Fly Point, Port Stephens, NSW

The Reef Hidden Beneath the Amazon Mud

A hidden sponge reef has been found in an unexpected place.
Inky the octopus swimming in a tank at the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier, New Zealand. Courtesy of the National Aquarium of New Zealand

The Flight of Inky the Octopus

Inky the Octopus made one of the natural world's most daring escapes when he somehow breached his tank to get to the Pacific. But how did he do it?
Cormorants on a Guano Island

Are We Entering a New Golden Age of Guano?

A history of civilization could be written in fertilizers. And the history of guano—bird poop—tells us a lot about slavery, imperialism, and U.S. expansion.
Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton (the specimen AMNH 5027) at American Museum of Natural History.

An Asteroid Killed the Dinosaurs. Right?

What killed the dinosaurs? An asteroid wiped them out, right? New research suggests that even before that cataclysm, dinosaurs weren't doing so well.
Wildlife cams

Why We Can’t Turn Away from Wildlife Cams

Wildlife cams have steadily gained popularity among both scientists and casual observers. But viewers aren't always prepared for wildlife unscripted.
APOPO HeroRAT rat getting food reward

Dr. Nose: Disease-Detecting Animals

Belgian scientists are training rats to detect diseases. Other animals, including dogs, have a history of disease-detection.
Myanmar Mangroves

Why Myanmar Jailed Mangrove Activists

Activists in Myanmar took action against Mangrove deforestation. Why were they jailed?
Elk in Yellowstone National Park

National Parks Are Like Islands for Wildlife

There’s no doubt that national parks are good at getting people in touch with the natural world. But how good are they at conserving wildlife?
Fossil of Tullymonstrum gregarium, an extinct animal

The Tully Monster, Monstrous No More

The identity of the Tully monster, a 50-year-old paleontological mystery, has been solved.