History of Science
The Nerdiest Christmas Cards Ever May Be These Microscope Slides Composed of Shells
The unusual holiday exchange, which lasted decades during the early 20th-century, hints at the drama between the two colleagues
The Scientist Grover Krantz Risked It All. . .Chasing Bigfoot
The dedicated anthropologist donated his body to science and it’s on display, but his legacy is complicated
When the U.S. Government Tried to Make It Rain by Exploding Dynamite in the Sky
Inspired by weather patterns during the Civil War, the rainmakers of the 1890s headed to west Texas to test their theory
The Mysterious Origins of the Smallpox Vaccine
Though the disease was declared eradicated in 1980, the era of smallpox is far from over
Captain Cook’s 1768 Voyage to the South Pacific Included a Secret Mission
The explorer traveled to Tahiti under the auspices of science 250 years ago, but his secret orders were to continue Britain’s colonial project
How Scientists Discovered Helium, the First Alien Element, 150 Years Ago
First found only on the sun, scientists doubted the mysterious element even existed for more than a decade
How Saddam and ISIS Killed Iraqi Science
Within decades the country’s scientific infrastructure went from world-class to shambles. What happened?
The 18th-Century Lady Mathematician Who Loved Calculus and God
After writing a groundbreaking math textbook, Maria Agnesi quit math for good
How Soviet Bomb Tests Paved the Way For U.S. Climate Science
The untold story of a failed Russian geoengineering scheme, panic in the Pentagon, and a Nixon-era effort to study global cooling
Why Scientists Name Species
From the Beyonce fly to the David Attenborough possum, the names we bestow on animals have real conservation impacts
Science Still Bears the Fingerprints of Colonialism
Western science long relied on the knowledge and exploitation of colonized peoples. In many ways, it still does
How Advertising Shaped the First Opioid Epidemic
And what it can teach us about the second
The Rockstar Geologist Who Mapped the Minerals of the Cosmos
A professor told Ursula Marvin she should learn to cook. Instead she chased down meteorites in Antarctica
The History of Breeding Mice for Science Begins With a Woman in a Barn
Far more than a mouse fancier, Abbie Lathrop helped establish the standard mouse model and pioneered research into cancer inheritance
Sometimes, a Scientific “Eureka!” Moment Really Does Change the World
Your plastic credit card, microwaveable popcorn and erection enhancers all owe to a fortuitous moment of connection
Women Who Shaped Science
Smithsonian.com is sharing the stories of women scientists who also changed the world, but were written out of history.
How Does Foucault's Pendulum Prove the Earth Rotates?
This elegant scientific demonstration has been delighting everyday people for nearly 200 years
In Stellar Tribute, Astronauts Teach "Lost Lessons" From Educator Who Died on <em>Challenger</em>
Christa McAuliffe had planned to teach the lessons during her 1986 trip to space. Now, two astronauts will finally carry out the plan
The Woman Who Transformed How We Teach Geography
By blending education and activism, Zonia Baber made geography a means of uniting—not conquering—the globe
How the Presidency Took Control of America's Nuclear Arsenal
From Truman onwards, the ability to order a nuclear strike has shaped the office
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