With 80 to 98 percent of Earth's species still not classified, time is running out to catalog all life forms before many of them disappear. A group of scientists has launched a multibillion-dollar initiative to discover and describe all the planet's life forms within 25 years. The goal is to give each species its own home page on the Web.
Africa explorer Mike Fay has survived being gored by an elephant in Gabon. He received cuts and gashes, including a puncture through his right arm, but otherwise escaped serious injury. "I feel like the luckiest person on the planet," said Fay, who has also survived a plane crash, many bouts of malaria, and confrontations with armed poachers. Full story, photo gallery, and audio:
The appearance of hairless black bears has become common on the western edge of Florida's Ocala National Forest. The dramatic hair loss is caused by mange, a disease spurred by an outbreak of mites. Researchers seek to learn why the outbreak has occurred.
Life wasn't always easy for some of today's top canine celebrities. Before being discovered, many were abandoned by previous owners and living in animal shelters, hoping for a second chance at life.
Sardines and anchovies swim to the beat of a 50-year climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean. The seesawing changes of these two tiny fish—the one abundant when the other is scarce—have highlighted a natural climatic pattern that may color our understanding of global warming.
Britain's streets are under aerial attack, but it's dive-bombing birds, not warplanes that are menacing the country's urban centers. Seagulls are descending on towns and cities with piercing cries and open beaks, terrorizing citizens and leaving messes. With numbers rising by 13 percent each year, local authorities face an uphill battle in trying to fend them off.
For more than 50 years, the staff of the Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales has raised and milked hundreds of venomous spiders and snakes—including the death adder—for their poisonous venom to create life-saving antivenins. It's a dangerous job that has saved hundreds of lives. Full story and photo gallery:
The animal world has its share of celebrated navigators, from flocking geese to spawning salmon. New research suggests that Caribbean spiny lobsters—which use the Earth's magnetic fields in a sophisticated guidance system known as true navigation—may rank among the best of them.
Innovative technologies are changing the way documentary filmmakers see African wildlife. To better understand how, filmmaker Maya Laurinaitis followed a husband and wife team during the making of their film Walking With Lions. National Geographic News recently spoke with Laurinaitis about her assignment.
New research suggests that a European species of earthworm introduced to North America may be decimating populations of an endangered and unusual fern. The finding suggests that other plants might be at risk too.
An international group of scientists pooling more than 30 years of data has concluded that behavioral patterns among different orangutan populations show evidence of culture.
Captive reindeer may have trouble making their rounds this Christmas, and the problem isn't sleet or snow. The culprit is a fatal brain disease gradually spreading through North America's deer and elk populations.
There is a story circulating on the Internet that claims Rudolph may have been a girl. As the much e-mailed account goes, male reindeer generally shed their antlers long before December 25. So Santa's outriders are all female—which would make sense as they would have to be good at directions. But is there a scientific basis to this theory?
Two years ago, explorer and wildlife conservationist Michael Fay completed an epic 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) trek through the forests of central Africa. National Geographic News recently spoke with Fay to learn about his latest ideas for habitat conservation and plans for future colossal treks.
