Volunteer scientist spend their time tracking living things in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's all part of an important science project.

It's a tick that hunts you down and transmits a potentially dangerous allergy to red meat. The New Yorker writer Burkhard Bilger discusses the lone star tick and the risks of alpha-gal syndrome.

Meteor Crater is one of the best-preserved impact craters on the planet. For years, visitors have wanted access to the bottom. Now for the first time ever, the narrow trail that leads to the bottom of Meteor Crater is open for guided tours.

Black bear encounters are on the rise in Tennessee.

Millions are facing dangerous and potentially record-breaking temperatures.

Scorching heat and intense drought in the West are fueling fast-growing infernos.

A growing number of prominent U.S. scientists are taking jobs in other countries, including the U.K. They say Trump's impact on U.S. science funding is a factor.

Communities around the U.S. are putting on epic fireworks shows for America's 250th birthday — but that spells trouble for dogs and cats. Here's a guide to help the animals in your life.

Firefighters working on the nation's largest current wildfire, burning in southern Utah, are being challenged by historic weather conditions. Extreme wildfire behavior is expected to continue through the weekend.

Prof. Ajay Narendra from Macquarie University in Australia tells NPR about his team's discovery of a particularly rare, and high-powered, hunting method of the informally named "ballista spider."