The Americas

Latest about The Americas

An Andean condor chick in a nest surrounded by guano.

Scientists discovered a 2,200-year-old condor poop pile in the Andes. Here's what it told them.

By Jennifer Nalewicki published

Scientists dug into a 2,200-year-old pile of Andean condor poop to study the species’ diet and changes in habitat.

The Americas
older white woman with grey hair being loaded into ambulance by two paramedics, at night as the ambulance lights flash

Fatal drug overdoses have quadrupled in US seniors

By Rachael Rettner published

The rate of fatal drug overdoses among U.S. seniors has quadrupled in the last 20 years.

The Americas
An artist's reconstruction of the ancient sabertooth marsupial, Thylacosmilus atrox.

Ancient marsupial sabertooth had eyes like no other mammal predator

By Jennifer Nalewicki published

The wide-set eyes and exaggeratingly long teeth likely helped Thylacosmilus atrox become a successful hunter.

The Americas
close up of white tablets spilling out of an orange pill bottle; part of the bottle's label can be seen and reads "codone," the second half of the word "Hydrocodone"

Opioids are the most common cause of fatal poisonings in kids under 5

By Nicoletta Lanese published

Opioids account for a greater proportion of fatal pediatric poisonings than they did a decade ago.

The Americas
A red wold sitting in the snow.

More than a third of US wildlife at risk of extinction, 'grim' new report shows

By Harry Baker published

A report from the conservation group NatureServe warns that 40% of animals and 34% of plants in the U.S. are "at risk" of extinction.

The Americas
DiCaprio's snail-eating snake (Sibon irmelindicaprioae). This snake has an alternating striped cream and dark brown underbelly and alternating stripes of tan and dark brown on top. It also has a set of large orange eyes.

'Leonardo DiCaprio' snake with bright orange eyes discovered in Panama jungle

By Joshua A. Krisch published

Five species of previously unknown snakes with stunning eyes were discovered in jungle trees, and one was named after Leonardo DiCaprio. But mining threatens them all.

The Americas
illustration of influenza virus particles

Flu on the rise in the US as season kicks off early

By Nicoletta Lanese published

States across the U.S. are reporting rising rates of influenza-like illness, hinting that flu season is starting early this year.

The Americas
A 3D CT scan of the skull of one of the South American mummies in the new study.

'Massive trauma' found on 1,000-year-old South American mummies

By Patrick Pester published

South American mummies were likely brutally murdered 1,000 years ago, and the evidence is still preserved today, a new study finds.

The Americas
Meet Meraxes, a distant therapod relative of T. rex that also had a large head and undersized front limbs.

Giant meat-eating dinosaur had a fancy skull and wee arms like T. rex

By Conor Feehly published

A newly described Cretaceous dinosaur had puny arms like Tyrannosaurus rex, though the two species were not closely related.

The Americas
This is a photograph of El Gran Abuelo, aka the Great Grandfather Tree, which is thought to be the oldest tree in the world. Its very thick trunk is surrounded by other green trees.

Is this the oldest tree in the world?

By Tia Ghose published

Using a new computer model to determine the age of the tree, it was found that the Gran Abuelo could be roughly 5,400 years old.

The Americas
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