Wildlife Trade Entangles Nearly a Fifth of the Planet’s Vertebrate Animals
In the first global estimate of its kind, researchers tally an incredible 5,600 species harvested for commercial use—and predict which ones could be next
Stories by Rachel Nuwer
Frogs Make Their Homes in Elephant Footprints
The massive herbivores shape the environment for living creatures around them—including some of the smallest animals
A Once Common Gecko Is Vanishing from Parts of Asia
With millions of tokay geckos trapped each year for use in traditional Chinese medicine, conservationists are calling for international protections
Environmental Activists Have Higher Death Rates Than Some Soldiers
Killings of those protecting nature are highest in countries with corruption and weak rule of law
As Predicted, Some of Australia’s Turtles Are Going Extinct
Turtles’ famed longevity can mask their decline—until it is too late
The Deep Ocean Harbors a Mountain of Microplastic Pollution
Four times as many plastic particles turned up in the deep waters of a “clean” patch of ocean than on the surface in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Slime Thinks Fast and Slow
Slime molds display surprisingly complex decision-making behavior
How to Turn Failure into Success
Research reveals strategies for staying motivated in the face of challenges
Livestock Act Like Ghosts of Wildlife Past
In Kenya, wild animals and livestock can coexist and even benefit each other
Rolling under the Sea: Scientists Gave Octopuses Ecstasy to Study Social Behavior
Cephalopods on the recreational drug behave much like humans do, even touching and hugging their peers
Sometimes Mosquitoes Are Just Thirsty
Mosquitoes want your blood for its proteins...or simply to hydrate on a hot, dry day.
The Other Reason Mosquitoes Want to Suck Your Blood
Mosquitoes are more likely to bite hosts when they are thirsty, possibly increasing disease spread
Tracing Thailand’s Illegal Rosewood Trade
Rosewood is heavily smuggled, but resources to curb its trafficking are lacking
Programming a DNA Clock
Engineers have created a DNA-based chemical “oscillator,” opening the door to molecular computing
Gun Terrorism Is the Deadliest Kind
Firearms kill more people per attack in high-income countries than any other method
Massive Fish Orgy Produces One of the Loudest Noises under the Sea
The Gulf corvina’s record-setting underwater spectacle may soon disappear due to overfishing
Healthy Choices? Storefront Placement Plays a Role
Supermarket displays tip customers toward or away from healthful purchasing decisions
Where’s My Elephant? High-Tech Collars Track Wildlife in Real Time
Devices and accompanying software, now being tested in Kenya and beyond, could help conservationists outsmart poachers
Where's My Elephant? High-Tech Collars Track Wildlife in Real Time
The devices and accompanying software, now being tested in Kenya and beyond, could help conservationists outsmart poachers
The Trauma of Saving Animals
A clinical psychologist treats shell-shocked rangers engaged in Africa's poaching wars
