Location
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.
Touch a Manatee, Spend Six Months in Jail
After posting several photos on Facebook of himself and his two young daughters playing with a baby manatee, a Florida man was arrested by the wildlife authorities
February 21, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Scientists Pluck Blind Shrimp and Other Strange Life Forms From World’s Deepest Hydrothermal Vent
More than three miles beneath the waves, the world's deepest hydrothermal vent is home to ghostly creatures
February 21, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
The World’s Greatest Angling Authors Went by Names Like ‘Badger Hackle’ and ‘Old Log’
If you're an angler and an author, there's a good chance you're using a pen name
February 21, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Events February 22-24: Early Human Adaptation, Orchids and the Harlem Renaissance
This week, see evidence of how early humans adapted, celebrate Latin America's coolest flowers and learn about Harlem the Renaissance's most important artists
February 21, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
Tasmanian Kelp Forests You Didn’t Know Existed Are Disappearing
Didn't know there were kelp forests off of Tasmania? Apparently there are. And apparently they might not be there for long
February 21, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Eleanor Roosevelt and the Soviet Sniper
Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a Soviet sniper credited with 309 kills—and an advocate for women's rights. On a U.S. tour in 1942, she found a friend in the first lady.
February 21, 2013 |
By Gilbert King
Can Chemistry Make Healthy Foods More Appealing?
Making healthy foods like tomatoes more palatable may increase our desire to eat these foods while decreasing our gravitation towards sugary snacks
February 20, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
What Kind of Dog Was Pavlov’s Dog?
Turns out, Pavlov wasn't picky about which pooches he trained to salivate at the sound of the bell
February 20, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Presenting the Real Harlem Shake
More than a goofy meme, the Harlem Shake is a dance with long roots
February 20, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Vilcabamba: Paradise Going Bad?
Life in this legendary town in Ecuador's Valley of Longevity may be too good—and too long—to be true
February 20, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Fossils of Four New Species of Whale Found Under a California Highway
The fossils could fill in gaps in what scientists know of the evolutionary steps between toothed to toothless baleen whales
February 20, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Mississippi Officially Ratifies Amendment to Ban Slavery, 148 Years Late
The movie Lincoln helped kick Mississippi into action on finally ratifying the 13th Amendment
February 20, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Amateur Naturalists Are Discovering All Kinds of New Insect Species
More and more, amateurs are contributing to the discovery of new species, especially of insects - but can they keep ahead of the extinction curve?
February 19, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Researchers Treat Sinusitis the Same Way They Clean Ships
Yes, researchers think about your nose like a dirty ship hull that needs cleaning. But it does seem to work
February 19, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Europe Is Warmer Than Canada Because of the Gulf Stream, Right? Not So Fast
A long-accepted explanation for a warm Europe is up for debate
February 18, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Saving Top Predators Could Have a Climate Change Benefit, Too
Through their effect on the food web, shifting predator populations can change greenhouse gas levels
February 18, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Guess What the Most Abundant Organism on Earth Is?
If you had to guess the most abundant organism on the whole planet, you might think of ants, or maybe bacteria. But a newly discovered virus might trump them all
February 15, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Libra: The 21st Century (Libertarian) Space Colony
The government can't get their hands on you when you're floating above Earth
February 15, 2013 |
By Matt Novak
Appreciate Weird, Adorable Pangolins Before They’re Gone
Across Asia, a plague of hunting has hit pangolins, though it's not too late to save these intriguing creatures from extinction
February 15, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Newly Approved Retinal Implants Can Help Blind People See
The first retinal implants ever approved for use in the U.S. could help with a certain type of blindness
February 15, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
