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Subjects including the arts and humanities, government, nature, people, recreation, science and societyDiscover Smithsonian articles related to the arts, history, science and popular culture.
Police Could Soon Get Their Hands on the U.S. Military’s ‘Pain Ray’
This high frequency microwave weapon makes you feel like your skin is burning, but leaves no scars
May 14, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Jury-Rigged iPhone Microscope Can See Parasitic Worms Just Fine
The new contraption detected giant roundworm eggs 81 percent of the time and roundworm eggs 54 percent of the time in village samples in Tanzania
May 14, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Buried Pig Bodies Help Scientists Refine Search Methods for Mass Graves
Currently, the science of detecting mass graves is hit or miss, though the remains of thousands of missing persons may be stashed in clandestine graves
May 14, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Why Your Lucky Underwear And Pre-Game Routine Might Actually Work
One in three students in the UK wears lucky underwear. And while you might laugh their habits off, there's a reason that those rituals might actually work
May 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Mayan Pyramid Destroyed to Get Rocks for Road Project
The construction company building the road appears to have extracted crushed rocks from the pyramid to use as road fill
May 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Angelina Jolie’s Double Mastectomy Choice Increasingly Common, Still Medically Murky
Angelina Jolie's choice to remove both her breasts is part of a larger trend - but doctors aren't sure why it's more popular now than ever, or whether it should be
May 14, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Curses! The Four-Letter Word Renaissance Speakers Wouldn’t Flinch At
Back in the ninth century, the S-word referred to excrement in a matter-of-fact, not a vulgar, way
May 13, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Gil Goldstein and Bobby McFerrin’s New Project at the Kennedy Center
Gil Goldstein lends an experienced hand to Bobby McFerrin's new concert series and recording project that honors familiar spirituals with a fresh new spirit
May 13, 2013 |
By Joann Stevens
Solving an Alligator Mystery May Help Humans Regrow Lost Teeth
A gator can replace all of its teeth up to 50 times--learning what triggers these new teeth to grow may someday keep us from needing dentures
May 13, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Why Do We Laugh?
What is the evolutionary purpose of laughter? Are we the only species that laughs?
May 13, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
This Carnivorous Plant Throws Out Its Junk DNA
Complex life is possible without excessive amounts of non-coding DNA
May 13, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Scientists Map Britain’s Most Famous Underwater City
Researchers have created a 3D visualization of Dunwich using acoustic imaging
May 13, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Easy-Peasy Test Finds Serious Fetal Health Issues Earlier
Scientists can detect signs of Down Syndrome, brain damage and a preterm delivery using this new urine test
May 13, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
How Often Does the Oldest Person in the World Die?
Every so often you hear about the oldest person in the world dying, but how often does this actually happen?
May 13, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Five Ways to Enjoy a Walnut
In France's Périgord region, never mind the truffles, foie gras and wine--at least for a day--because this country is ground zero of the noble walnut
May 13, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Events May 14-16: New Research, Old Films and Live Jazz
This week, hear the latest from the brains at the Smithsonian, dissect the great Nam June Paik's video legacy and relax with live music
May 13, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
This 3-D Printed Robot Also Can Assemble Itself
Robots get smaller, smarter, faster and easier to assemble every day. In fact, they're so easy to make that this robot can actually assemble itself
May 13, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Slave Cabin Set to Become Centerpiece of New Smithsonian Museum
A slave cabin from a South Carolina plantation is being shipped to Washington, DC to be featured in the National Museum of African American History and Culture
May 13, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
This is a Real Time Map of Wikipedia Changes
Who are the people who edit Wikipedia and where do they come from? Here is a real-time map to answer that question
May 13, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
TKO By Checkmate: Inside the World of Chessboxing
Demanding a combination of brains and brawn, this new sport has competitors floating like butterflies and stinging like kings
May 13, 2013 |
By Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
