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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.
Shell Is Drilling the World’s Deepest Offshore Oil Well in the Gulf of Mexico
The new well contains around 250 million barrels of recoverable oil total - or just over three percent of the oil used by the U.S. each year
May 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Water On the Moon Probably Came From Earth
New isotopic analysis of hydrogen in Apollo-era Moon rocks shows that the water locked inside them hails from our planet
May 09, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Could Lightning Come From Space?
Cosmic rays may cause a "runaway breakdown" of electrons when they collide with highly charged particles in thunderclouds
May 09, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Deep Seafloor Turns Out to Be a Treasure Trove for Ancient DNA
DNA preserved in the the ocean floor could provide a unique view of ancient animals that aren't represented in the fossil record
May 08, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
You Totally Would Have Wanted This Little Dome-Headed Dinosaur as a Pet
Just 90 pounds and 6 feet tall, this newly discovered dinosaur is the oldest of its kind
May 08, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Feel What It’s Like to Live on an Antarctic Icebreaker for Two Months
In February 2013 Cassandra Brooks, a marine scientist with Stanford University, landed at McMurdo Station, a U.S. research station on the shores of Antarctica’s Ross Sea. For two months she worked on a ship, the icebreaker Nathaniel B. Palmer, cruising through the Antarctic sea. Brooks documented her life on the ship for National Geographic, and now she’s [...]
May 07, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
U.S. Gives Mongolia Its Tyrannosauras Skeleton Back
The U.S. government is returning a Tyrannosaurus skeleton to Mongolia and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is giving two statues back to Cambodia
May 07, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Mapping the Routes of Invasive Stowaways
Singapore, Honk Kong, New York, Long Beach, CA, and the Panama and Suez canals are the areas most at risk from invasive species
May 07, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The History of Baseball Stadium Nachos
From a Mexican maitre 'd's mishap in 1943 to the gooey, orange stuff you put on your chips at the baseball game today.
May 07, 2013 |
By K. Annabelle Smith
Nearly 4,500 Kids Are Injured on Amusement Park Rides Each Year
Based on current trends in the amusement park market, these injury numbers probably won't go down any time soon
May 06, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Seahorses Inspire New Armor Designs
The plates that line seahorse tails have to be both flexible enough to grasp and rigid enough to defend themselves from predators
May 06, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
One Upside to Drought: the Fewest Tornadoes in the U.S. in At Least 60 Years
No water in the air means less fuel for tornadoes
May 06, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
London’s Secret Gardens
Follow us to these fragrant green oases secreted away within central and far-flung London neighborhoods
May 06, 2013 |
By Rocky Casale
Celebrate the Kentucky Derby With Henry Clay’s Mint Julep Recipe
Sip one of Henry Clay's very own mint juleps or spoon down a bowl of burgoo, aka roadkill soup
May 03, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Is It Ever OK To Euthanize a Baby?
In Holland, some doctors and parents say the answer is yes
May 03, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
African-Americans Sent Thousands of Anti-Slavery Petitions in the 18th and 19th Century
The petitions lend insight into the lives of African Americans during this tumultuous period in U.S. history, and now they're being digitized for all to see
May 03, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
From the Civil War to Civil Rights: The Many Ways Asian Americans Have Shaped the Country
A new exhibit in time for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month highlights the long, diverse history of Asian Americans
May 03, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Game Wardens Helped Poachers Kill the Last of Mozambique’s Rhinos
Mozambique's rhinos have been living on the edge of extinction for more than a century, but now they're finally gone for good
May 02, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
What’s Better at the New Orleans Jazz Fest: The Food or the Music?
From oyster patties to po'boys, crawfish to étouffée, the caterers and restaurants offer strong competition to the legends on the big stage
May 02, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Some Shoppers Actively Avoid ‘Green’ Products
While energy efficiency and green labeling is a popular marketing strategy today, this strategy can polarize some conservative customers
May 02, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
