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The Ten Best History Books of 2020

Our favorite titles of the year resurrect forgotten histories and help explain how the country got to where it is today

How Dinosaurs Thrived in the Snow

Discoveries made in the past decades help show how many species coped with cold temperatures near both poles

How Horse Flu Brought the U.S. to a Stop in 1872

An equine influenza in 1872 laid bare how essential horses were to the economy

Squirrel Gets Drunk After Devouring Fermented Pear

A Minnesota resident captured a video of the bushy-tailed rodent's drunken smorgasbord

This Artist Reimagines Historic Portraiture

Riffing on the genre's long history, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's innovative works raise questions about black identity and representation

Pablo Escobar's Hippos Have Created an Ecological Crisis in Colombia

In the late '80s, infamous drug kingpin Pablo Escobar illegally imported a group of hippos for his personal zoo. Today, these hippos are wreaking havoc and are protected by the government

The Ten Best History Books of 2020 — The Ten Best History Books of 2020

Our favorite titles of the year resurrect forgotten histories and help explain how the country got to where it is today

How Dinosaurs Thrived in the Snow — How Dinosaurs Thrived in the Snow

Discoveries made in the past decades help show how many species coped with cold temperatures near both poles

How Horse Flu Brought the U.S. to a Stop in 1872 — How Horse Flu Brought the U.S. to a Stop in 1872

An equine influenza in 1872 laid bare how essential horses were to the economy

Squirrel Gets Drunk After Devouring Fermented Pear — Squirrel Gets Drunk After Devouring Fermented Pear

A Minnesota resident captured a video of the bushy-tailed rodent's drunken smorgasbord

This Artist Reimagines Historic Portraiture — This Artist Reimagines Historic Portraiture

Riffing on the genre's long history, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's innovative works raise questions about black identity and representation

Pablo Escobar's Hippos Have Created an Ecological Crisis in Colombia — Pablo Escobar's Hippos Have Created an Ecological Crisis in Colombia

In the late '80s, infamous drug kingpin Pablo Escobar illegally imported a group of hippos for his personal zoo. Today, these hippos are wreaking havoc and are protected by the government

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The Horse Flu Epidemic That Brought 19th-Century America to a Stop

Smithsonian Voices December 3, 2020

Travel Around the World With a New Smithsonian Global Guide to Nutrition

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December 3, 2020

How Dinosaurs Thrived in the Snow

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Smithsonian Scholars Pick Their Favorite Books of 2020

Holiday Gift Guide December 1, 2020

The Ten Best History Books of 2020

Smithsonian Voices December 1, 2020

The Smithsonian’s Evolving Role as the Nation’s Knowledge Partner

Smithsonian Voices December 1, 2020

Cooking with Alex Guarnaschelli and 25 Other Smithsonian Associates Programs Streaming in December

COVID-19 December 1, 2020

How Covid-19 Drove New Polio Cases in Afghanistan

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Twelve Ancient and Enduring Places Around the World

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What Happened on John Lennon's Last Day

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The Ten Best Science Books of 2020

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The Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2020

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The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2020

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