Smithsonian Magazine: May 2003
Features
Iraq's Unruly Century
Ever since Britain carved the nation out of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the land long known as Mesopotamia has been wracked by instability
By Jonathan Kandell
Finally, the Top of the World
A witness to the first ascent of Mount Everest 50 years ago this month recalls Edmund Hillary's aplomb, Tenzing Norgay's grace and other glories of the "last earthly adventure"
By Jan Morris
Winter of Discontent
Even as he endured the hardships of Valley Forge, George Washington faced another challenge: critics who questioned his fitness to lead
By Norman Gelb
Russia's Treasure-House
Searching for the past on the eve of St. Petersburg's 300th anniversary, a former foreign correspondent finds the future
By Bob Cullen
James Turrell's Light Fantastic
The innovative artist has devoted his life to transforming.
By Paul Trachtman
The Nature of Cuba
Tiny frogs. Vast swamps. Pristine rivers. Whether by design or default, the island boasts the Caribbean's best-kept wildlands. But for how long?
By Eugene Linden
Departments
Indelible Images
Into the Breach
David Douglas Duncan's Life photographs captured the courage and anguish of marines in Korea, bringing home the gravity of war
By Terence Monmaney
Phenomena & Curiosities
Mystery Bumps
Scientists knew that alligators' jaws are covered in bumps but it took biologist Daphne Soares to figure out why
By David Berreby
The Object at Hand
Comfort Zone
A cardiganed Fred Rogers made every kid feel cozy and warm
By Victoria Dawson
Presence of Mind
Still Ahead of His Time
Born 200 years ago this month, Ralph Waldo Emerson had some strange ideas about the natural world. Recent research suggests they might even be true
By Frederick Turner
From the Secretary
Torn Asunder
Enslaved Africans endured the largest forced migration in history
By Lawrence M. Small
