Carlyn Kranking

Jan 21, 2025 | smithsonianmag.com | Colin Schultz |Carlyn Kranking

For more than 150 years, scientists have debated whether Prototaxites—which stood roughly 24 feet tall and 3 feet wide—were an early lichen or fungus, like a “giant mushroom” When land plants were still the relatively new kids on the evolutionary block and the world’s tallest trees reached only a few feet in height, giant spires of life poked from the Earth.

Jan 10, 2025 | smithsonianmag.com | Carlyn Kranking

This year’s stunning images vying for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice award offer unusual and fascinating peeks at the natural world. Stare into the eyes of a tree frog preparing to sing, admire the acrobatic dives of a territorial bird and get a front-row seat to a skirmish between a porcupine and a very determined honey badger.

Dec 30, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Carlyn Kranking

Skywatching brought people together in 2024, . Professional scientists, seasoned hobbyists and astronomical newbies turned their eyes skyward, united by the awe of staring at the cosmos. Millions of Americans watched the total solar eclipse that traced a path across the continent, darkening skies and revealing the sun’s ethereal corona. Dazzling auroras reached as far south as Florida, and a rare bright comet offered a stunning sight in western skies in the fall.

Dec 5, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Carlyn Kranking

More than twice as massive as every other planet in our solar system combined, Jupiter is immense. It measures nearly 11 Earths across and has captured 95 known moons in its gravity—along with thousands of smaller objects. With no solid surface, the planet’s atmosphere is raging, dominated by storms and swirling clouds. This turbulence culminates at its Great Red Spot, a powerful anticyclone where winds scream past at up to 425 miles per hour.

Nov 14, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Carlyn Kranking

From today through early Sunday, take a look up—though you’ve likely heard a lot about supermoons over the last few months, this weekend will be your last chance to see one until next fall. The exact moment of the supermoon is 4:29 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, November 15, but it will appear to be full from early Thursday morning through just before sunrise on Sunday, according to NASA’s Gordon Johnston.