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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.
Why Did (or Didn’t) the Meerkat Cross the Road?
Dominant female meerkats hang back to let subordinates cross busy, dangerous roads first
March 01, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Fishy History of the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Sandwich
How a struggling entrepreneur in Ohio saved his burger business during Lent and changed the McDonald's menu for good.
March 01, 2013 |
By K. Annabelle Smith
There’s More to Celtic Music Than “Danny Boy”
A new album from Smithsonian Folkways will brighten anyone’s St. Patrick’s Day
March 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
The Lost Tribes of the Amazon
Often described as “uncontacted,” isolated groups living deep in the South American forest resist the ways of the modern world—at least for now
March 2013 |
By Joshua Hammer
Why Was This Man an Outcast Among Anthropologists?
Napoleon Chagnon’s new memoir reignites the firestorm over his study of the Yanomamö
March 2013 |
By Joshua Hammer
Bioluminescence: Light Is Much Better, Down Where It’s Wetter
From tracking a giant squid to decoding jellyfish alarms in the Gulf, a depth-defying scientist plunges under the sea
March 2013 |
By Abigail Tucker
Brian Skerry Has the World’s Best Job: Ocean Photographer
The freelancer’s new exhibit at the Natural History Museum captures the beauty, and fragility, of sea life
March 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
A New Addition to the International Space Station
The AMS can detect and sort hundreds of billions of high-energy particles whizzing through space
March 2013 |
By Elizabeth Quill
Arctic Drilling Is On Hiatus As Shell Packs It In
After a string of mishaps, Shell is pausing their bid to drill the Arctic seas
February 28, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Events March 1-3: A thriller film, a Women’s Suffrage Festival and Influential African American Women
This week, see Nicole Kidman melt down, celebrate women's rights and learn about great African American women you've never heard of
February 28, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
Hunting for Gold in the Amazonian Jungle
The author joins two American fortune-seekers on a gold-panning outing at the confluence of the Negro and Paute rivers
February 28, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Canadian Government Winds Down Research That Could Help Stop Climate Change
If carbon dioxide emissions don't start dropping in the next few decades, we're looking at hundreds of years of high temperatures
February 27, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Giant Goldfish Have Invaded Lake Tahoe
Populations of native fish have decreased tenfold in Lake Tahoe, and this new invader could only exacerbate the situation
February 27, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Lighting Up the Arctic Sky With Artificial Aurorae
The U.S. military's Naval Research Lab teamed up with university researchers and defense contractors to set the atmosphere aglow
February 27, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Overzealous Male Frogs Practice a Practical Sort of Necrophilia
Both males and females still get to pass on their genes to the next generation, despite one of them being dead
February 27, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Too Little Sleep Can Really Mess Our Bodies Up
People who sleep normally have around 1,800 functioning genes, but the sleep deprived lose around 400 of these
February 26, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
What Makes These Avocados Different From All Others?
The spectrum of the fruit here is almost as varied as the people who grow them, and for avo advocates, Ecuador is a excellent place to go tasting
February 26, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Investigation: China Covertly Condones Trade in Tiger Skins and Bones
The Chinese government says it is committed to saving tigers from extinction, yet it legalized trade in captive-bred big cats' skin and bones
February 26, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Don’t Believe the Guy Who Claims He’s Descended From Vikings
The good news is that you can probably claim Viking or whatever other heritage of choice you prefer and have a good chance of hitting the mark—without forking over $200
February 26, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
10 Vintage Menus That Are a Feast for the Eyes, If Not the Stomach
From the late-19th century to the 1970s, restaurants had one surefire way of standing out
February 26, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
