Discovery

Male Gnall midge (Cecidomyiidae sp.) on bark

All the Life We Cannot See

As scientists continue their search for undescribed species, they’re revealing how little we know about life on our planet.

Latest in Discovery
Sunflower stars
Unmasking the Sea Star Killer

After a decade of carnage, we finally know what’s devastating sea stars along North America’s West Coast. Does that mean scientists can save them?

Toothless whales, such as blue whales, use keratin plates called baleen to filter their food from the ocean. Baleen reveals a surprising amount of information about a whale’s physiology. Photo by Doc White / NPL
How Whales Found Peace in War

A forgotten museum collection reveals how a pause in industrial whaling during World War II changed whales at the molecular level.