Marsupial babies develop in the not-terribly-sanitary environment of the mother’s pouch. To protect their young from infection, the milk of marsupials such as the Tasmanian devil has powerful antibiotic properties—properties that may help humans.
Studies have found that domesticated animals have smaller brains than their wild cousins. What does that mean for us?
Humans can tell when a change of season is underway through visual clues like the sprouting of new plants in spring or a sharp drop in temperature in winter. But how do animals know if it’s time to get busy building or to look for a nice spot to snuggle up in for a few months?
On January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff, killing all seven of its crew members. At this site, you can read and watch videos about this national tragedy.
Artificial intelligence is all around us—and it’s not a bunch of robots that behave like humans. Find out what AI looks like in today’s world, and discover how we got here.
The line between humans and animals, biologist Jane Goodall argues, is fuzzy. In this TED Talk, she explores not only how human-like chimpanzees and other animals can be, but also how the human world and the natural world are intertwined—and how we can use our influence for good.
Scientists working with elephants from the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang, Thailand, designed an experiment that required the elephants to work together in order to get food. The elephants’ ability to understand and use teamwork was surprising!
Research has shown that the bond between parents and children affects brain development. This story gives a brief overview of this ongoing research and tells how the lack of a parental bond has impacted the life of one man who was adopted at the age of 11.
Our goals and technology for space exploration have changed, but our pursuit of knowledge is just as active today as it was during President Kennedy’s era. Discover the future of space exploration by accessing videos and interactive infographics on NASA’s website.
Is our digital experience with nature eclipsing our real experience with nature? What do we gain by watching wildlife on a webcam? What do we lose? In this essay, writer Diane Ackerman shares her opinion about our digital connection to nature.
