Smithsonian Magazine

Alien Life Could Look Nothing Like What We Expect. Here’s How Microbes Beyond Earth Might Live Without Liquid Water

Like the lead character of “Project Hail Mary,” some scientists are proposing ways that life might exist beyond a star’s ...

What was the very first plant in the world?

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to ...

What was the first plant on Earth, and how did it start life on land?

The history of the first plant on Earth is not as simple as the identification of a particular species of plants, but it is a ...

‘Project Hail Mary’ explores unique forms of life in space – 5 essential reads on searching for aliens that look nothing like life on Earth

“Project Hail Mary,” the movie adaptation to Andy Weir’s 2021 novel about a science teacher attempting to save the Earth from sun-eating microbes, was released in March 2026 to stellar ratings from ...
ZME Science

Tribe in Kenya Evolved Genetic Mutation That Lets Them Survive with Almost No Water

Women of Kenya’s Turkana community often walk miles each day in scorching heat to collect water for their animals and ...

Moss is an underdog in the world of plants when it comes to federal protection

Hundreds of plants are protected by the Endangered Species Act, but moss is an underdog. There's only one type that has federal protection, but a group of scientists wants to change that.