Time
The past, present and future divided into geologic and historic eras, significant historic and cultural events, and centuries and decadesDiscover Smithsonian articles as they relate to the past, present and future.
How Can the U.S. Government Know If Syrian Combatants Were Affected by Sarin Gas?
Reports from the White House that sarin gas were used in Syria, but how could you test for it?
April 26, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Ancient Australia’s First Settlers Probably Came There On Purpose
Rather some chance encounter with the continent down under, researchers think that the original migrants set out to deliberately colonize Australia
April 25, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Ancient Maya Were Cultural Sponges
Rather than the Maya influencing the Olmec or vice versus, similarities between their cultures represent a general shift in ancient Mesoamerica
April 25, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
How Do You Say ‘Star Wars’ In Navajo?
The Navajo Nation teamed up with Lucasfilm to translate the classic space opera
April 25, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Europe’s Hypocritical History of Cannibalism
From prehistory to the present with many episodes in between, the region has a surprisingly meaty history of humans eating humans
April 25, 2013 |
By Sarah Everts
Almost All That Remains of This Woman, Perhaps the First Queen of Windsor, Is Her Jewelry
Though her clothes long since decomposed and her bones are almost completely decayed, her lavish jewelry remains behind, giving hints to her identity
April 24, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Math Prodigy Shakuntala Devi, ‘The Human Computer,’ Dies at 83
In 1977, Devi faced off against a computer in a speed calculation race. She won twice.
April 23, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Hurricanes May Cause Earthquakes
In August 2011, the Virginia earthquake shook the east coast. Days later, Hurricane Irene may have caused more earthquakes
April 22, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Curses! Archduke Franz Ferdinand and His Astounding Death Car
Was the man whose assassination began World War I riding in a car destined to bring death to a series of owners?
April 22, 2013 |
By Mike Dash
Someone at the FCC Is a Boston Red Sox Fan
The Federal Communications Commission, normally quick to crack down on the slightest infringement, is letting David Ortiz's f-bomb slide
April 22, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Chechnya, Dagestan, and the North Caucasus: A Very Brief History
Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hails from Dagestan, a war-torn Russian region in the North Caucasus.
April 19, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Getting in Touch After a Disaster
Before cellphones, it was much harder to get a hold of loved ones, but it was also less likely you knew they were in danger at all
April 17, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Edinburgh’s Mysterious Miniature Coffins
In 1836, three Scottish boys discovered a strange cache of miniature coffins concealed on a hillside above Edinburgh. Who put them there—and why?
April 15, 2013 |
By Mike Dash
Our Closest Ape-Like Ancestor Is Reshuffling Thinking About Human Evolution
Australopithecus sediba included a strange mix of both modern Homo and ape-like australopith features
April 15, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Most Comprehensive Map of the Internet Yet May Give Clues for Sealing Up Vulnerabilities
Researchers are using ISP databases to connect the dots between networks in order to create a comprehensive map of the internet's global scope
April 15, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The N.H.L. Officially Welcomes Gay Players With Most Inclusive Measures of Any Professional Sport
If you had to guess which sport had the most inclusive measures for LGBT people, you might be wrong. It's the National Hockey League
April 12, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Can Architects Prevent Gun Deaths?
Architects wonder if they can design gunman-proof buildings
April 12, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Nearly Every American Has Had to Deal With Some Weather Disaster Since 2007
Around four out of five Americans live in a counties declared federal disaster areas in the past six years
April 11, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Chins Prove There’s No Such Thing As Universal Beauty
Dartmouth researchers studied chin shapes of 180 recently deceased male and female skeletons from Australia, Africa, Asia and Europe. Chin shapes, they found, differ significantly in all of these regions
April 11, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Thousands of Roman Artifacts Have Just Been Sitting Under London’s Financial District
A trove of Roman artifacts, dug up from a London construction site
April 11, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
