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Science & Nature

Why Fire Makes Us Human

Cooking may be more than just a part of your daily routine, it may be what made your brain as powerful as it is
June 2013 Issue | By Jerry Adler

Travel

Mimi Sheraton’s 10 Most Memorable Meals

From dinner by candlelight in Denmark to Peking duck in China, the celebrated food critic reveals her most memorable culinary experiences
June 2013 Issue | By Mimi Sheraton

History & Archaeology

Unpack a Meal of Astronaut Space Food

Space-age spaghetti and meatballs, along with other tastes of home, gave Apollo astronaut crews a boost
June 2013 Issue | By Brett Martin

Surprising Science Blog

Discovered: The Molecule Responsible for Itchiness

A neurotransmitter called Nppb, we now know, plays a vital role in the sensation of an itch—and removing it can prevent itchiness entirely
2:01 PM ET | By Joseph Stromberg

Surprising Science Blog

Save the Amazon, Increase Malaria

People in Brazil living close to forests are 25 times more likely to catch malaria than those living near places where all the trees have been cut down, new research shows
10:03 AM ET | By Rachel Nuwer

Surprising Science Blog

Doctors Use a Dissolvable 3D-Printed Tracheal Splint to Save a Baby’s Life

An infant's collapsing airway now has a device holding it open; as his tissue strengthens, the splint will be absorbed into his body
May 22, 2013 | By Joseph Stromberg

Innovations Blog

One Day Your Phone Will Know If You’re Happy or Sad

By analyzing every tiny facial gesture, voice inflection or even how quickly we tap out a text message, devices are getting good at reading our emotions
May 22, 2013 | By Randy Rieland

Science & Nature

Buzz Aldrin on Why We Should Go to Mars

The Apollo 11 astronaut who walked on the moon dreams of a future where Americans are the first to walk on Mars
May 20, 2013 | By Amy Crawford

Design Decoded Blog

A Brief History of Robot Birds

The early Greeks and Renaissance artists had birds on their brains
May 22, 2013 | By Jimmy Stamp

Arts & Culture

Behind the Scenes in the Smithsonian Regents’ Room

Explore a room in the Smithsonian Castle with a curious history that includes fire and destruction, séances for skeptics and even a skeleton in the closet

Arts & Culture

Will the Real Great Gatsby Please Stand Up?

F. Scott Fitzgerald couldn’t resist putting his own life into his novels, but where’s the line between truth and fiction?
May 07, 2013 | By Sarah Laskow

Food and Think Blog

Look, But Don’t Eat: Delicious Crocheted Dishes

This British designer crochets pizzas, veggies and cakes that look almost realistic enough to eat
May 22, 2013 | By Marina Koren

Surprising Science Blog

Once in a Blue Moon and Other Idioms That Don’t Make Scientific Sense

From "where there's smoke, there's fire" to "hard as nails," several sayings just don't pass scientific scrutiny
May 22, 2013 | By Mohi Kumar

Collage of Arts and Sciences Blog

Princeton University Celebrates the Art of Science

In a new exhibition, the university showcases 43 images rooted in scientific research that force viewers to contemplate the definition of art
May 21, 2013 | By Megan Gambino

History & Archaeology

The True Story of the Battle of Bunker Hill

Nathaniel Philbrick takes on one of the Revolutionary War’s most famous and least understood battles
May 2013 Issue | By Tony Horwitz

History & Archaeology

8 Famous People Who Missed the Lusitania

For one reason or another, these lucky souls never boarded the doomed ship whose sinking launched America's involvement in WWI
May 02, 2013 | By Greg Daugherty

Surprising Science Blog

Endangered Ocean Creatures Beyond the Cute and Cuddly

Marine species threatened with extinction aren't just whales, seals and turtles--they include fish, corals, mollusks, birds, and a lone seagrass
May 17, 2013 | By Emily Frost

Arts & Culture

Never Underestimate the Power of a Paint Tube

Without this simple invention, impressionists such as Claude Monet wouldn’t have been able to create their works of genius
May 2013 Issue | By Perry Hurt

History & Archaeology

We Had No Idea What Alexander Graham Bell Sounded Like. Until Now

Smithsonian researchers used optical technology to play back the unplayable records
May 2013 Issue | By Charlotte Gray

Ideas & Innovations

Life in the City Is Essentially One Giant Math Problem

Experts in the emerging field of quantitative urbanism believe that many aspects of modern cities can be reduced to mathematical formulas
May 2013 Issue | By Jerry Adler

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AT THE SMITHSONIAN
Scenes and Sightings from the Museums

  • Around the Mall
  • Visitor's Guide

Events May 24-26: Jeff Koons, Hawaiian Staycation and Navy Jazz

This weekend, learn more about an iconic piece of art, celebrate the Pacific island and take in some...
By Leah Binkovitz

Say Hello to Bozie, the National Zoo’s New Elephant

She arrives at the National Zoo today from Baton Rogue
By Paul Bisceglio

Sixty Years Ago, Edmund Hillary Reached the Top of the World. Hear Him Describe It

Take a look back at an interview with Sir Edmund Hillary 60 years after he became the first man to s...
By Paul Bisceglio



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