An Italian Farmer Found Some Unknown Seeds in His Attic and, With Nothing to Lose, Planted Them. The Result Was Almost Biblical When a seven-eared stem emerged from the ground, it seemed like a miracle. What Claudio Grossi had unearthed was an ancient grain that proved to be an answer to some modern problems… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/italian-farmer-found-unknown-seeds-attic-with-nothing-lose-planted-them-result-biblical-180989644/ via Smithsonian Magazine

Bats Thrive in a Messy, Noisy World. These Four Discoveries Reveal How They Can Listen and Chatter Through the Din From eavesdropping to echolocation tricks, science is giving us an inside look into how various bat species weaponize sound… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/bats-thrive-in-a-messy-noisy-world-these-four-discoveries-reveal-how-they-can-listen-and-chatter-through-the-din-180989750/ via Smithsonian Magazine

'Wildwood' Is the Longest Stop-Motion Animated Film Ever. Each Frame of the Movie Is a Marvel of Handcrafted World Building Deborah Cook, costumer designer at stop-motion animation studio Laika, discusses creating tiny costumes for puppets in a fantastical world set in the forests of Portland, Oregon… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/wildwood-is-the-longest-stop-motion-animated-film-ever-each-frame-of-the-movie-is-a-marvel-of-handcrafted-world-building-180989742/ via Smithsonian Magazine

Green Sea Turtles Are Making a Remarkable Comeback on the Remote Aldabra Atoll and Around the World. But Their Recovery Is Far From Complete One year after the species was reclassified from “endangered” to “least concern,” green turtles in the western Indian Ocean exemplify that return—and the subtleties a global designation can miss… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/green-sea-turtles-are-making-a-remarkable-comeback-on-the-remote-aldabra-atoll-and-around-the-world-but-their-recovery-is-far-from-complete-180989710/ via Smithsonian Magazine

The Race for Hydrogen Fuel Has Taken These Scientists to the Arctic Seafloor. But Can They Unlock Its Secrets Before It's Too Late? On challenging expeditions, researchers have collected deep-sea bacteria that naturally produce hydrogen, exploring and documenting an ancient ecosystem that may soon be altered forever… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-race-for-hydrogen-fuel-has-taken-these-scientists-to-the-arctic-seafloor-but-can-they-unlock-its-secrets-before-its-too-late-180989707/ via Smithsonian Magazine

Dam Removals Are Bringing Fish Back Across the Northeastern United States, Striking Down One Tiny Barrier at a Time While the demolition of big dams in the West gets more attention, many of these often-obsolete obstructions are also coming out of northeastern streams and rivers—and herring are returning in droves… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dam-removals-are-bringing-fish-back-across-the-northeastern-united-states-striking-down-one-tiny-barrier-at-a-time-180989679/ via Smithsonian Magazine

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day With These 15 Dramatic Images of the Rich, Enduring Traditions of Native Americans These photographs from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest showcase Native Americans taking part in their respective tribal customs… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/celebrate-indigenous-peoples-day-with-these-15-dramatic-images-of-the-rich-enduring-traditions-of-native-americans-180989662/ via Smithsonian Magazine

Five Discoveries That Changed Our Understanding of T. Rex Forever, From Warm Blood to Lips Paleontologists are still unraveling the secrets of the world’s most famous dinosaur, such as its outward appearance or the way that it hunted. With each new finding, our view of the “tyrant lizard king” has gotten a little clearer—and sometimes has radically shifted… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-discoveries-that-changed-our-understanding-of-t-rex-forever-from-warm-blood-to-lips-180989634/ via Smithsonian Magazine

These 15 Adorable Photos of Pandas Will Make You Want to Visit the Zoo Immediately Members of the fluffy and adorable but vulnerable species are often cared for in zoos and breeding centers around the world, and these snapshots may make you jealous of the caretakers’ jobs… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/these-15-adorable-photos-of-pandas-will-make-you-want-to-visit-the-zoo-immediately-180989606/ via Smithsonian Magazine

Ancient Pottery Reveals the Earliest Known Traces of Chocolate East of the Mississippi, Painting a Picture of Connection in the Americas A new archaeological discovery suggests that people in present-day Georgia have feasted with cacao for 1,000 years… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ancient-pottery-reveals-the-earliest-known-traces-of-chocolate-east-of-the-mississippi-painting-a-picture-of-connection-in-the-americas-180989559/ via Smithsonian Magazine

Is More Protein Always Better? Despite the Craze Around the Nutrient, Research-Backed Evidence About Its Benefits Is Complicated It can be difficult to see through the array of flashy, protein-packed products and determine whether you need more of it—and which foods to consume to get it. We asked health experts about the benefits and drawbacks of chasing protein… https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/is-more-protein-always-better-despite-the-craze-around-the-nutrient-research-backed-evidence-about-its-benefits-is-complicated-180989584/ via Smithsonian Magazine