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The Swimsuit Series, Part 6: Ladies in Wading in Art
A look at how artists spent their summer vacations—at the beach
August 31, 2012 |
By Emily Spivack
Thomas Edison a.k.a. The Movie Mogul Who Started LOLcats
Lightbulbs are nice, but it was Edison's kinetoscope 115 years ago today that brought us Hollywood and boxing cats
August 31, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
The Long History of Americans Debating Empty Chairs
The history of debating empty chairs stretches back to at least 1924
August 31, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
The History of the Lunch Box
From a working man's utility product to a back-to-school fashion statement, lunch boxes have evolved with technology and pop culture
August 31, 2012 |
By Lisa Bramen
What Do American History Museum Curators Collect at the Republican National Convention?
Follow the Smithsonian experts as they gather memorabilia in Tampa
August 30, 2012 |
By Tom Frail
50-Year Mystery Surrounding Death of Two Sisters Solved
Doctors discover the genetic cause of an extremely rare, almost always fatal condition called Winchester syndrome
August 30, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Neil Armstrong’s Previously Unheard Speech, Recorded One Year Ago
Recorded surreptitiously, the 43 minute-long speech captures Armstrong's presentation one year prior to his passing
August 30, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Watch This Decades-Old WWII Bomb Go Boom
A World War II bomb was discovered by workers the on the site of an old bar that was being demolished, and then blown up the next day
August 30, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
That Time a German Prince Built an Artificial Volcano
When a 18th century German prince visited Mt. Vesuvius in Naples, he insisted on building a replica of it on his estate back home. 200 years later, a chemistry professor brings it back to life
August 30, 2012 |
By Andrew Curry
Here’s How Hurricane Naming Works
Who gets to chose hurricane names, and how do they do it?
August 29, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Playing Video Games At Home Turns 40
The Magnavox Odyssey went on sale 40 years ago, sparking the home video game revolution
August 29, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
PHOTOS: Paraphernalia from the Political Campaigns of Yore
The great American pastime of politics and posturing has deep roots, but have we become more or less civil?
August 28, 2012 |
By Jeanie Riess
The Neverending Hunt for Utopia
Through centuries of human suffering, one vision has sustained: a belief in a terrestrial arcadia that offered justice and plenty to any explorer capable of finding it
August 28, 2012 |
By Mike Dash
Relive the 1940s Through These Old Color Photographs
The Library of Congress has more than 1600 color photos of WWII-era America
August 28, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Five Epic Patent Wars That Don’t Involve Apple
The recent Apple patent decision was a big one, but here are some historical patent wars you might not have heard of
August 27, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
What Did Playtex Have to Do With Neil Armstrong?
The astronaut's lunar outfit was designed by the women's bra manufacturer and inspired a series of space age fashions
August 27, 2012 |
By Emily Spivack
Birmingham’s Smoking Dinosaurs
In 1938, awful dinosaurs roamed Birmingham, England
August 24, 2012 |
By Brian Switek
Cadillacs, 110 Years and Going…Biking?
A staple in the collections, Cadillac marks its 110-year anniversary today as the company looks to branch out and go biking
August 22, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
The Smoothest Con Man That Ever Lived
"Count" Victor Lustig once sold the Eiffel Tower to an unsuspecting scrap-metal dealer. Then he started thinking really big
August 22, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
How to Learn a Language Nobody Speaks
After hundreds of years, and multiple attempts to develop a universal language the same problem still remains: no one wants to learn it
August 22, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
