Smart News

Photograph of the megalithic cluster of Carregal do Sal, one of the passage graves in Portugal that may have doubled as an ancient telescope.

New Research

These Ancient Tombs May Have Been Both Grave and Observatory

The best view of the heavens could be from within the tomb

What could be more relatable than a president and first lady in bed?

Cool Finds

These Artifacts Show the Best—And Worst—of American Election Ephemera

From trash to political treasure

Think twice before digging in.

Trending Today

The FDA Just Declared War on Cookie Dough

Goodbye sweet spoons, hello food safety

An unnamed Pullman porter works at Chicago's Union Station in 1943.

Trending Today

Five Things to Know About Pullman Porters

As the oldest Pullman porters die, it's time to reflect on the proud legacy of these African-American workers

New Research

Climate Change Could Devastate Penguin Populations by Century's End

Loss of ice and rising sea temperatures could impact 60 percent of the Adelie penguin colonies in Antarctica

Ultraviolet images overlying a photo of Jupiter taken by the Hubble Space Telescope

Trending Today

Catch the Solar System’s Best Light Show With New Images of Jupiter’s Auroras

Jupiter’s Auroras Are the Best Light Show in the Solar System

A side scan sonar image of the Royal Albert at the bottom of Lake Ontario.

Cool Finds

19th-Century Sunken Schooner Uncovered in Lake Ontario

It’s the only two-masted ship known to have sunk in the area

One of the most stunning features of Taiwan's Lukang Longshan Temple is its extravagant wood caisson ceiling.

Experience the Secrets of a Threatened Taiwanese Temple

New 3D reconstructions make it possible to look inside Lukang Longshan

Cool Finds

This Pass Might Help Get More Toddlers Into New York City’s Museums

The Cool Culture pass helps low-income families introduce their children to cultural institutions

Help astronomers track asteroid 2010 NY65 as it streaks across the sky on Asteroid Day

Trending Today

Track These Space Rocks From Your Couch on Asteroid Day

With just a click, you can help astronomers learn more about two nearby asteroids

A section of the Historic Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona.

Cool Finds

A New Project Tells the Stories of the Women of Route 66

An oral history project with the National Park Service follows women on the iconic highway

Trending Today

Venomous Lionfish Invade the Mediterranean

A recent survey shows that the fish have colonized Cyprus and may continue to spread

Cool Finds

The Poster That Started the "Keep Calm" Craze is on Sale

Learn about the print that launched a thousand memes

Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara during a time trial in Utrecht, Netherlands, during the 2015 Tour de France

Trending Today

Tour de France Goes High Tech to Battle Mechanical Cheating

Organizers will use thermal cameras developed by the French nuclear agency to detect "mechanical doping" during the 2016 Tour

Inside the quiet forests near what was once Ponar, Lithuania lie mass graves that contain up to 100,000 bodies. Now, archaeologists have discovered a tunnel that 80 survivors used to attempt to escape in 1944. Twelve succeeded.

New Research

Archaeologists Found a Hand-Dug Holocaust Escape Tunnel

The tunnel was dug by desperate prisoners using spoons

The new International Center for Photography Museum is located in New York's bustling Bowery.

Cool Finds

Take a Peek Inside the International Center for Photography’s New Home

The Center’s newest exhibition explores what it means to be constantly in front of the lens

99-million-year-old flight feathers.

New Research

99-Million-Year-Old Bird Wings Found Encased in Amber

The rare fossils from the age of the dinosaurs look a lot like modern-day bird wings

Cool Finds

"Water Windfall" Discovered Under California's Drought-Stricken Central Valley

Though the aquifer could help with the current and future droughts, researchers caution getting too greedy with the resource

A scientist looks at mirror segments for the NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. The mirrors underwent cryogenic testing—made possible by scarce helium gas—to see how they would respond to extreme temperatures. Now, scientists have found a huge cache of helium gas that could make the element more accessible to scientists.

New Research

Scientists Found a Huge Reservoir of Much-Needed Helium

Helium is used in everything from particle accelerators to MRI machines, and a dearth of the gas has long plagued researchers

Smithsonian Curator on the Priceless Impact Pat Summitt Made on College Athletics

The winningest coach in NCAA Division I history left an incredible legacy

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