biology

A complete breakdown of the abbreviation, including its role and function within the body.

Your “gut” may have opinions, but the brain is in charge.

Your gut feeling isn’t just a metaphor. Science reveals how intuition works—and when you should listen to it.

Learn the science behind the sensation of butterflies in the stomach and what it reveals about your body.

The surprising science that explains everything you need to know about food comas.

Aging might seem scary, but you probably don’t have all of the facts.

There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings about menstruation. But it’s important to parse out what’s true and what’s a lie.

The hole is authentic, but it likely didn’t come from a rat.

Was it a rat? Probably not.

Don’t be surprised to see wild wallabies hopping around the UK.

A fishing group thought they caught a giant goldfish. What they hooked was actually much weirder.

The symbol for female (left) and male (right).

The ♂and ♀ symbols initially had nothing to do with representing human sex or gender.

Charles Davenport’s Eugenics Record Office collected data on thousands of Americans, hoping to support a pseudoscientific theory that would create a more perfect human race. It led to unspeakable tragedy.

This one‘s a juvenile female, according to the Marine Megafauna Foundation.

The newly identified Atlantic manta ray is officially a distinct species.

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.

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

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

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

From the long legs of the jerboa to basically everything about the duck-billed platypus, evolution has taken some weird turns.

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

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.

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

There’s a right and a wrong way to wipe your butt after all. But with these expert-approved tips, you’ll be sitting pretty in more ways than one.

A spider can now make red silk thanks to gene editing.

Getting bitten by it won’t give you superpowers, as far as we know.

The stingray it on the left, and the skate is to the right.

Skates lay black, ravioli-shaped egg cases. Rays give birth to live pups.

Axolotls are cute and important to the environment.

Scientists in Mexico have found that axolotls bred in captivity can survive and thrive in their native habitat—which is great news for the species.

A diver is about a meter behind the coelacanth discovered at a depth of 144 meters in North Maluku, Indonesia.

Researchers in Indonesia have filmed a rare coelacanth nearly 500 feet underwater—marking the first time the fish has been recorded in its native environment.

Use this map from the University of Connecticut to check if 17-year periodical cicadas will appear in your neighborhood soon.

What Does "DNA" Stand For?

Why Is Intuition Called a "Gut Feeling"—And Can You Trust It?

Why Do We Feel Butterflies in Our Stomach?

The Real Reason You Feel So Tired After Eating

9 Things You Probably Get Wrong About Growing Old

9 Myths and Misconceptions About Menstruation, Debunked

Chicago’s ‘Rat Hole’ May Have Come From a Different Rodent, Scientists Say

6 Fascinating Marsupial Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

White-Eyed, Bright Orange Shark the Result of Extremely Rare Mutation

The Surprising Origins of the Male and Female Symbols

Cold Spring Harbor: The Long Island Lab that Brought Eugenics to America

Newly Identified Manta Ray Species Can Grow as Big as a Van

15 of the World’s Funkiest Fungi

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

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

6 Strange Animal Evolutions

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

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

The Best Way to Wipe Your Butt, According to the Experts

This Genetically-Engineered Spider Shoots Red Fluorescent Silk

Skates vs. Rays: What‘s the Difference?

Captive-Bred Axolotls Can Survive in the Wild, Sparking Hope for the Endangered Species

Scientists Capture First Footage of Ancient Coelacanth in Its Natural Habitat

Interactive Cicada Map Shows Where You Can See (and Hear) Brood XIV This Spring