In the summer of 2019, ecologist Patrick Sullivan traveled to northern Alaska to study forests near the Salmon River. Known for its pristine water, the river supports a thriving population of wildlife, including fish and bears. Instead of the crystal-clear water he had expected, large sections farther down the river appeared bright orange. The riverbanks were also stained with rust-colored sediment....

San Francisco's California Academy of Sciences is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved residents. Claude, an alligator with striking white skin and red eyes, died on December 2, 2025, from liver cancer....

On the morning of November 23, 2025, the residents of Ethiopia's remote Afar region were jolted awake by an unexpected event. The nearby Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted for the first time in recorded history!...

The next time you grumble about short winter days, think of Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, the northernmost town in the United States. On November 18, 2025, its residents witnessed their final sunset of the year. They will not see the Sun again until around January 22, 2026. That is about 64 consecutive days, or 1,536 hours, of darkness!...

Thousands of elk, deer, and other large animals move across Colorado each year. They graze in the lowlands during winter and return to the mountains in summer. But their paths often cross busy highways. This can make their migrations very dangerous. One of the most hazardous spots is Interstate 25 between the towns of Larkspur and Monument. More than 100,000 vehicles pass there every day. With six lanes cutting through thousands of acres of wildlife habitat, collisions between animals and cars are all too common....

Isabella Orduna was paddling out for an evening surf at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, California, on October 15, 2025, when something nipped at her foot. Startled, she rolled into the water. To her surprise, a sea otter was perched on her surfboard!...

Every fall, Americans buy tens of millions of pumpkins for Halloween. Some are transformed into jack-o'-lanterns, while others are left whole for display. Sadly, interest in these festive gourds fades quickly once the holiday ends. Experts estimate that 80 percent of the over 1.3 billion pounds (5.8 billion kg) of pumpkins purchased every year end up in the trash....

Just in time for the season, Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center in Nahant, Massachusetts, has unveiled a lobster with Halloween colors. Aptly named Jack O’Lantern, or Jackie, she sports a mix of orange, black, and yellow, with hints of blue on her joints. This American female lobster, introduced to the public on October 9, 2025, is an exceptionally rare find. Sierra Munoz, the center’s outreach coordinator, says only one in 30 million lobsters has this color....

Scientists in Florida have turned to an unusual tool in the fight against invasive Burmese pythons — remotely-controlled robotic rabbits....

Methane is usually linked to global warming. But far below the ocean’s surface, three newly discovered sea spider species have found a way to use this greenhouse gas as a survival tool....

Every October, farmers across the US harvest millions of pumpkins. Some transform into delicious soups or pies, while others become spooky jack-o'-lanterns. A select few, however, are grown just for weigh-off competitions. There are numerous such contests held around the country. But the biggest gourds usually end up at the "Super Bowl" of pumpkin weigh-offs in Half Moon Bay, CA....

India, like many countries, faces ongoing challenges with poverty and plastic waste. As of 2023, about 5 percent of its population — roughly 73 million people — lived below the $3.00 per day poverty line. The country also produces nearly 29,000 tons of plastic daily. Much of it ends up in landfills. A small cafe in the central Indian city of Ambikapur has found a unique way to tackle both problems....

Climate change poses a serious threat to the Antarctic ecosystem. As temperatures continue to rise, sea ice is shrinking. This makes it harder for wildlife like seabirds, seals, and whales to find food, rest, or raise their young. Now, scientists may have found a surprising ally in their efforts to protect the continent — penguin poop....

With their broad green leaves floating lightly on the water, Victoria water lilies may look fragile. But these plants can hold hundreds of pounds. To highlight this strength, the team at Denver Botanic Gardens began sharing videos on social media. They showed just how much weight their lilies could hold....

Earth’s atmosphere holds billions of gallons of water vapor. If captured, it could supply clean drinking water to over 2.2 billion people who do not have reliable access. Now, MIT scientists have built a device that can pull water from the air — even in some of the driest places on Earth....

Fat Bear Week is back! From September 23 through September 30, 2025, Alaska's Katmai National Park will invite fans worldwide to vote for the park's fattest brown bear. Now in its 11th year, the fun contest shines a spotlight on these remarkable animals and the Alaskan wilderness they call home....

Dolphin communication has always intrigued scientists. The intelligent mammals use a range of noises to work together and stay connected. Some sounds even act like names, helping dolphins recognize one another. Now, researchers at Google and Georgia Tech hope to understand dolphin speech — and maybe even talk to them — with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI)....

A young Cooper's hawk in West Orange, New Jersey, has stunned scientists by using a pedestrian crosswalk as a hunting tool. This behavior marks a rare instance in which a bird of prey takes advantage of human infrastructure for survival....

On August 25, 2025, parts of Arizona were briefly engulfed by a massive dust storm during the evening rush hour, turning day into near darkness. Known as a haboob, these storms form when strong thunderstorm winds sweep across the desert, lifting loose soil into the sky....

A team of international researchers has captured the first-ever footage of an extremely rare Antarctic gonate squid swimming freely in its natural habitat. The species was previously known only from dead specimens caught in fishing nets or remains found in the stomachs of predators like whales and seals....

Caterpillars are usually seen as harmless, plant-munching larvae. But a newly identified species discovered on the Hawaiian island of Oahu challenges that reputation. Measuring just 5 mm long, the "bone collector" caterpillar feeds on dead insects found in spider webs. It then repurposes the remains, wearing body parts like beetle shells and weevil heads as camouflage....

Each summer, the Northern Hemisphere night sky comes alive with one of the year's most dazzling celestial events: the Perseid meteor shower. Known for its bright, fast-moving meteors, the Perseids are a favorite of both casual stargazers and serious astronomers....

Over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the Hill Country region in Central Texas experienced intense rainfall. This caused the Guadalupe River, which runs through much of the area, to surge over 26 feet (7.9 m) in about 45 minutes. The rapid rise triggered one of the worst flash floods in US history. The water swept through entire communities with little warning, engulfing land and washing away vehicles, buildings, and bridges. Thousands of residents lost their homes and businesses. As of July 25, 2025, 138 people have died — the 10th-highest toll on record for a US flash flood. Three are still missing....

Chimpanzees are well known for their intelligence, especially in using tools to hunt and gather food. Now, new research on chimps at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, Africa, suggests these clever primates are not just tool users — they may also be natural engineers....