Back from the dead
Tropical tree fern repurposes its dead leaves
February 26, 2024
A species of tree fern found only in Panama uses ‘zombie leaves’ or reanimated dead leaf fronds, and turns them into root structures that feed the mother plant.
A species of tree fern found only in Panama uses ‘zombie leaves’ or reanimated dead leaf fronds, and turns them into root structures that feed the mother plant.
Discover the captivating world of ant-following birds in our upcoming talk!
The matador bugs' vibrant flags are neither a dating display nor a distraction tactic, they’re part of an elaborate defense strategy, according to a new study in Gamboa
In the Panamanian forest, researchers track swarms of carnivorous army ants and the birds that follow them. A new documentary reveals a glimpse of life, and research in the Neotropics
Temperatures affect ant behavior and colony function
What started as a student summer job, became Anibal Velarde’s life’s work. Over fifty years later, he is still at the Smithsonian
Fundación Yaguará Panama not only leads the protection of the largest feline in the Americas in cattle ranching areas of the country, but also promotes gender equality by actively involving women in key roles in the project, both at the scientific and community levels.
Frogs lay eggs both in the water and in jelly-like masses on plants. Could their flexible behavior help explain how vertebrates moved from life in ocean to life on land?
A new study from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) shows that red-eyed treefrog embryos hatch early when exposed to high ammonia levels — an environmental cue that it’s too hot and dry for the eggs to survive.
A new study finds that leatherback sea turtles tend to migrate rather than forage when chlorophyll, primary productivity, and sea surface temperature levels are lower.