New Research
China’s Lunar Rover Discovered a New Kind of Moon Rock
The Yutu Rover has discovered a type of basalt unlike anything else ever found on the moon
Our Top Ten Stories of 2015
From treasures buried in glaciers to the racial history of a vanished city in Oregon, here are the most-read stories on Smithsonian.com this year
They’re Back: Supposedly Extinct Sea Snakes Have Been Found in Australia
Nearly 15 years later and about 1,000 miles away from the last sighting, the snakes could be making a comeback
Not All Rainbows Have Every Color
Depending on the angle of the sun, ROY G. BIV don't all necessarily appear
How Do Hardworking Hummingbirds Keep Cool?
Special “windows” in the feathers covering their tiny bodies prevent overheating while hovering and flying
Darwin's “Puddle” Could Show How New Species Emerge in Close Quarters
A genetic study of cichlid fish in a small crater lake seems to support a debated evolutionary concept
These Parrots Use Pebbles as Tools to Grind up Seashells
Polly want a mineral supplement?
Toxic Algae Blooms in Lake Erie Could Become the New Normal
Plans to reduce fertilizer runoff may not be enough to counter the blooms when climate change is taken into account
Shockingly, Pandas That Like Each Other Have More Babies Together
The deceptively simple discovery could revolutionize panda breeding
Bestselling Books Are Getting Longer
But are they getting better?
Monkeys Like Full Red Lips, Too
In snub-nosed monkeys, male lips plump up and redden as they age, likely to signify reproductive availability and social status
Scientists Increasingly Describe Their Research As "Astounding"
The eyebrow-raising finding is just one of several papers published in the British Medical Journal's traditionally lighthearted Christmas issue
Rainbow Collars Could Help Keep Cats From Wiping Out Birds
This colorful trick may stop Fluffy from murdering local songbirds
Is Global Warming Changing How Fast the Earth Spins?
New research suggests that as glaciers melt, the planet's axis is shifting
How Much Space Do Astronauts Need?
The answer could help design spacecraft for one day taking people on the months-long trip to Mars
Genetically-Modified Mosquitoes Could Help Fight Malaria
Two research groups offer two different solutions to one big problem
New Robots Could Learn Like Children
A research team is teaching artificial minds to imitate and innovate like kids do during play
We Finally May Know the Cause of Ceres’ Bright Spots
It's not aliens
A French Scientist Says the Mona Lisa is Hiding a Portrait of Another Woman
Some art experts, however, are skeptical
New Images Capture Pluto’s Mountains, Badlands and Craters in Breathtaking Detail
These images are "the best close-ups of Pluto that humans may see for decades," according to NASA
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