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Outer Space, our solar system and Earth’s geography, geology and human environmentDiscover Smithsonian articles by place—including Earth, the solar system and outer space.
Charles McIlvaine, Pioneer of American Mycophagy
"I take no man's word for the qualities of a toadstool," said the man who took it upon himself to sample more than 600 species
February 08, 2012 |
By Peter Smith
How Much the Hope Diamond is Worth and Other Questions From Our Readers
From American art, history and culture, air and space technology, contemporary art, Asian art and any of the sciences from astronomy to zoology, we'll find an answer
February 07, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
The Man Who Wouldn’t Die
The plot to kill Michael Malloy for life-insurance money seemed foolproof—until the conspirators actually tried it
February 07, 2012 |
By Karen Abbott
Bedtime Reading From Beatrix Potter: Amateur Mycologist
Would Flopsy, Mopsy and Peter Cottontail have been conceived had it not been for the biases of Victorian era science?
February 06, 2012 |
By Peter Smith
An Astronomer’s Solution to Global Warming
The technology developed for telescopes, it turns out, can harness solar power
February 03, 2012 |
By Alaina G. Levine
What to Look for on the Train Ride From New York to Washington
Sure, the view along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor has its share of grime. But there are also sights that'll make you want to put away your smart phone
February 02, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Celebrate Black History Month with the Smithsonian
From Kenyan storytelling performances to Black Power film screenings, February on the Mall is buzzing with Black History Month events.
February 01, 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
To the Bottom of the World—and Back Again
When Felicity Aston, on skis, caught sight of Antarctica's coastal mountains, she told me, "they were like a neon sign flashing at me saying, 'You have finished!' "
February 01, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Hunting Dinosaurs on Venus
Why bother with cloning and time travel, when your dream safari awaits on a nearby planet?
February 01, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
The Devastating Costs of the Amazon Gold Rush
Spurred by rising global demand for the metal, miners are destroying invaluable rainforest in Peru's Amazon basin
February 2012 |
By Donovan Webster
The Mystique of Route 66
Foreign tourists and local preservationists are bringing stretches of the storied roadway back to life
February 2012 |
By David Lamb
Going Mad for Charles Dickens
Two centuries after his birth, the novelist is still wildly popular, as a theme park, a new movie and countless festivals attest
February 2012 |
By Joshua Hammer
Jose Andres and Other Toques of the Town Honor Alice Waters
What do you cook for famed chef Alice Waters? Washington's culinary celebrities faced this challenge at the unveiling of her portrait at the Smithsonian
January 31, 2012 |
By Jeanne Maglaty
The Game that Put the NFL’s Reputation on the Line
In 1930, many football fans believed the college game was better than the professional one
January 31, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
Football or Rugby: Whose Players are Tougher?
Could football players last 80 minutes in a rugby match? The great debate continues
January 31, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Frito Pie and the Chip Technology that Changed the World
As we approach one of the biggest snack days of the year, meet the "Tom Edison of snack food" who brought us the "Anglo corn chip"
January 30, 2012 |
By Peter Smith
L.A.’s Answer to the Yellow Brick Road
A group including the actor Jack Nicholson has tried to get Dirt Mulholland on the National Register of Historic Places
January 30, 2012 |
By Susan Spano
Sunday Funnies Blast Off Into the Space Age
When Dr. Athelstan Spilhaus met President Kennedy in 1962, JFK told him, "The only science I ever learned was from your comic strip."
January 27, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
Ancient Popcorn Unearthed in Peru
New discoveries indicate people were eating our favorite movie snack far longer ago than we thought
January 27, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Saving the Whales (And Eating Them Too?)
What does whale meat taste like, and is it anything like jojoba oil, prosciutto or jellied crustaceans?
January 27, 2012 |
By Peter Smith
