Sustainability at the Smithsonian

A clear blue river winds through a reedy wetland, reflecting the clouds overhead. A wooden boardwalk with rails overlooks the river on the right.

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Hot, Fresh & Flooded: These Wetlands Spew Out the Most Methane

Imama

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Between Pasture and Forest: The Crusade to Protect the Jaguar in Panama

Head and shoulders photo of Denise Breitburg, a woman with glasses and shoulder-length gray hair, with forested mountains in the background.

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Wait, the Ocean Is Losing Oxygen? Q&A With Denise Breitburg

A7S09160.jpg

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Centering Relationships Between People and Place: A Critical Step Towards Improving Science's Contributions to Society

IMG_6380.jpg

National Museum of the American Indian

Connecting Community and Collections

A7S09048.jpg

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Harnessing the Wisdom of Indigenous Communities for Marine Conservation

A swarm of yellow fish and silver fish with yellow tailfins swim around a coral reef

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Adult Fish Aren't Truly 'Protected' in Many Marine Protected Areas

Sustainability News From Smithsonian Magazine

Kids cool down at an animal-themed splash pad at Zoo Miami. Mist stations also help visitors avoid overheating on sweltering days.

INNOVATION

In Miami, the Nation’s First Chief Heat Officer Charts a Course for Surviving on a Warming Planet

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass waves an Olympic flag on her return from the closing ceremony of the Paris games on August 12, 2024.

INNOVATION

Can a City Known for Its Freeways and Gridlock Deliver a Car-Free Olympics? Los Angeles Thinks So

Every pound saved in a car’s weight matters, reducing fuel consumption in gas-powered cars or extending the range of electric vehicles.

INNOVATION

Automakers Are Making New Steels for Stronger and Lighter Cars

None

INNOVATION

Can the Noise in Sports Arenas Be Turned Into Electricity?

Crews even used purple glue while adhering the vulcanized rubber track to its asphalt base.

SMART NEWS

Why Is the Paris Olympics Running Track Purple?

Climate Change News

Intense flooding continued on August 7, after the sudden draining of a glacial lake near the Mendenhall River in Juneau, Alaska.

SCIENCE

When a Glacial Dam Burst, an Alaskan Town Was Hit With a Sudden Flood

The remains of a house that was once submerged in the Mornos artificial lake in Greece, along with several other structures, have re-appeared after drought caused the water level to drop.

SMART NEWS

Drought Reveals a Sunken Village in Greece as a Reservoir Dries Up

A mother manatee and her calf in Florida's Crystal River amid eelgrass, which is crucial for supporting the large mammals.

SMART NEWS

See 13 Captivating Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest

Biocrust in Utah

SCIENCE

Inside the Effort to Save Earth's Biocrusts

Phoenix, Arizona, has experienced a record 100 days in a row over 100 degrees Fahrenheit as of Tuesday. Forecasters say no relief is in sight.

SMART NEWS

Phoenix Shatters Heat Record With 100 Consecutive Days Above 100 Degrees

The drill site on Guliya Glacier, where researchers obtained an ice core representing 41,000 years of history.

SMART NEWS

Experts Discover 1,700 Ancient Viruses in a Tibetan Glacier

So-called “corn sweat,” the water vapor released by the process of evapotranspiration, can raise humidity in corn-producing areas on the hottest days of summer.

SMART NEWS

Feeling Sticky This Summer? 'Corn Sweat' Could Be Raising the Humidity