SCIENCE

Surfers are used to getting mouthfuls of saltwater.

Why Are Oceans Salty?

The salt in the ocean comes from two main sources: rocks on land and vents at the bottom of the sea.

Killer whales are intelligent creatures, and scientists have recently discovered a new behavior among the species.

Orca Whales Seen Giving Each Other Exfoliating Kelp “Massages”

New research suggests orcas may be using kelp to connect with each other and even exfoliate.

Mapped: The States With the Most Tornadoes

One state had the lion’s share of tornadoes between 2020 and 2024—but a different state sustained the most monetary damage.

The mushroom cloud forms seconds after the Trinity atomic bomb test on July 16, 1945.

10 Explosive Facts About the Trinity Nuclear Test

Eighty years after the first atomic bomb was detonated in New Mexico, we’re still feeling the political and scientific shockwaves.

15 of the World’s Funkiest Fungi

There's a big wide world beyond common molds and mushrooms—and some of it is very strange.

Biologists have created a marine animal database, from the smallest to the largest known species.

Biologists Launch Most Comprehensive Database of Marine Animal Body Sizes to Date

Scientists have made the first comprehensive marine wildlife size database to help scientists better understand ocean ecosystems.

The Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is like something out of a dream.

Australia’s Lake Eyre Turns Pink After Flooding for the Fourth Time in 160 Years

Australia’s largest salt lake, Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is currently a rare and stunning waterscape.

Prettier to look at than they are to actually swim with.

Does Peeing on a Jellyfish Sting Actually Help?

When it comes to jellyfish stings, urine is often cited as an effective remedy. But does it really work as a first-aid treatment?

The Optimal Time to Dunk an Oreo, According to Science

Have you dunked an Oreo into a glass of milk for too long? We'll walk you through how to find (and elongate) your optimal Oreo dunk time.

First live sighting of massive Antarctic squid caught on camera by Nat Geo

The Rare Antarctic Gonate Squid Has Been Caught on Film for the First Time

Scientists captured the elusive Antarctic gonate squid on camera for the first time during a National Geographic expedition.

Fabbriche di Careggine, a sunken town in Italy, emerges from under Lago di Vagli reservoir.

10 Real-Life Sunken Cities

Forget Atlantis (which probably doesn’t exist)—we’re taking a trip to 10 real cities that ended up underwater.

Wildlife Tunnels in Vermont Cut Amphibian Deaths By 80 Percent, Study Finds

Wildlife tunnels save lives: One study found that amphibian roadkill dropped by 80 percent thanks to the structures.

C. elegans nematodes in their squiggly, non-towering mode.

Nematodes Form “Living Towers of Worms” to Move as One

The microscopic worms are one of only a few species known to assemble into “superorganisms” that act and move collectively.

A night at the museum is closer than you may think.

9 Museums Where You Can Spend the Night

If you ever dreamed of being Ben Stiller in “Night at the Museum”, we’ve got the next best thing.

NASA Wants Your Help Documenting Rare ‘Space Clouds’

Rare noctilucent clouds are showing up in places they never used to, and scientists are trying to find out why.

Steven Spielberg took some poetic license in his shark-centric summer blockbuster.

Science vs. Hollywood: Shark Experts Separate ‘Jaws’ Fact from Fiction

In the summer of 1975, movie audiences learned all they ever wanted to know about bloodthirsty sharks from ‘Jaws.’ We asked shark scientists to set the record straight on Hollywood’s prodigious predator.

Megalodons May Have Eaten Anything That Moved, According to New Study

Zinc levels show the giant shark ate more creatures than expected, challenging long-held assumptions about its behavior.

What Are Those Tiny Spots on Apples?

The little pinprick spots on apples, pears, and potatoes are called lenticels, and they’re very important.

This Carnarvon flapjack octopus is tiny, but it can withstand intense pressure thousands of feet underwater.

New Flapjack Octopus Species With ‘Dumbo’ Fins Discovered Off Australia

The Carnarvon flapjack octopus flattens its body like a pancake and uses its Dumbo-like fins to swim.

This insect was found for the first time since 1980.

‘Extinct’ Monte Gordo Grasshopper Spotted on African Island for First Time in 45 Years

A rare grasshopper once believed to be extinct has been spotted for the first time since 1980—but habitat loss may threaten its future.

Why Don't You See Great White Sharks in Aquariums?

While they’re ubiquitous in pop culture, there’s one place where you won’t find great white sharks, and that’s behind glass.

An aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef near Queensland, Australia.

15 Big Facts About the Great Barrier Reef

Australia’s biggest natural wonder is a huge draw for tourists and fish alike. Here’s everything you need to know about the world’s most famous reef.

Science Confirms That Summer Heat Makes Us Grumpy

Scientists say feeling too warm can make people less likely to cooperate with or help others.

The cover of Jules Verne’s ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.’

9 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Jules Verne’s ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas’

From its initial title to its real life inspirations to its disastrous, misconception-causing English translations.