40th Anniversary

The Mapungubwe National Park Interpretive Center in South Africa is John Ochsendorf's most famous work.

With Ancient Arches, the Old is New Again

An MIT professor shows how ancient architecture can be the basis for a more sustainable future

Secretary S. Dillon Ripley (on his farm in 1984) enjoyed diffusing knowledge.

From the Castle: Forward Thinking

The Smithsonian enters a new era of expansion—on the Web

A long-anonymous college student in New York City reflected both the gravity and zaniness of that first Earth Day protest.

An Earth Day Icon, Unmasked

The 1970 photograph became an instant environmental classic, but its subject has remained nameless until now

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Letters

Founding editor Edward K. Thompson guided the new magazine through its first decade.

From the Editor: Curveballs at the Un-Magazine

From the first issue 40 years ago, Smithsonian has blazed its own path through the media landscape

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What Will America Look Like in 2050?

A Smithsonian/Pew poll finds optimism about science and social progress despite worries about the environment and population growth

Population growth places the United States in a radically different position from that of Russia, Japan and Europe.

The Changing Demographics of America

The United States population will expand by 100 million over the next 40 years. Is this a reason to worry?

"Much of the innovation reshaping our world comes from the private sector," President Obama writes.

President Barack Obama: Why I’m Optimistic

Looking ahead to the next 40 years, President Obama writes about our nature as Americans to dream big and solve problems

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