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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.
How One Museum Looks to Combat Ageism
A new exhibit in Israel educates kids that being old shouldn’t translate to being sidelined
January 2013 |
By Shoshana Kordova
A Look Into Brazil’s Makeover of Rio’s Slums
The Brazilian government’s bold efforts to clean up the city’s notoriously dangerous favelas is giving hope to people who live there
January 2013 |
By Joshua Hammer
PHOTOS: Getting Ready for the World’s Largest Radio Telescope
In Chile’s Atacama Desert, astronomers are preparing for a new array that will stretch across 10 miles
January 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Does Deep Space Travel Cause Alzheimer’s?
A new study indicates that the levels of radiation astronauts would experience over the course of a deep space mission could lead to dementia
December 31, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
You Know You Want To Snoop Around Marilyn Monroe’s Secret FBI File
Freshly un-redacted FBI files paint Monroe as a bit of a communist
December 31, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
This School Is Getting Girls Into Physics
The gap between boys and girls in math and engineering seems to start early and continue through college. But one school in the UK is trying to buck that trend
December 31, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Genetically Modified Salmon Should Be Headed to a Plate Near You
Designed to bulk up twice as fast as a regular fish, Frankenfish should get FDA approval soon
December 28, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Letter From Chinese Labor Camp Prisoner Found in Kmart Decorations
The letter's author described 15 hour work days, no days off and pay of around $1.61 per day after receiving sentencing without a trial
December 28, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Space Exploration and the End of an Era: Notable Deaths in 2012
Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, Roger Boisjoly and the shuttle program form this year's late greats of space exploration
December 28, 2012 |
By Mohi Kumar
It’s Not Safe for Turtles to Cross the Road, Humans Make Sure of That
Some motorists go out of their way to hit turtles that are trying to cross the road
December 28, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Why Do Rich People Wear Monocles?
Monocles have been the chosen eyewear of our cartoon rich people for a long time now
December 28, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
5 Science Stories to Watch in 2013
The new year could feature discoveries of life within subglacial Antarctic lakes, the brightest comet in generations and more
December 28, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
What Will They Do With The Body of a Beached Whale in Queens?
Rescuers, locals and conservationists have been trying to figure out just what to with the body of a fin whale that died in Queens on Thursday
December 28, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Do We Really Need to Take Vacations to Space?
The possibility of entering a sealed aircraft, buckling up and exiting the atmosphere in the name of leisure is nearing reality
December 27, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
The Last Working Copyist in Mali Is Trying To Save Timbuktu’s Manuscripts
180,000 medieval manuscripts are housed in Timbuktu, and only 23,000 of those ancient writings have ever been catalogued
December 27, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
This Christmas Tune Was Written By An Astronaut And Recorded in Space
Listen to the first song written specifically to be performed in space
December 27, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Canada And the United States Are Bickering Over Ownership of a Tiny Island
A tiny island with little more than a lighthouse and some puffins is the center of a border disagreement
December 26, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Super High Res Photo of Mt. Everest Shows Glacier Melt (But No Bodies)
Photographers from the organization Glacier Works just captured an interactive digital image of Mount Everest in astounding, gigapixel detail
December 26, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Children Who Went Up In Smoke
A tragic Christmas mystery remains unsolved more than 60 years after the disappearance of five young siblings
December 25, 2012 |
By Karen Abbott
An Edible White House, and the Long History of Gingerbread
The history of gingerbread starts as early as the 11th century
December 24, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
