Smithsonian Magazine | Smithsonian Magazine

The Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2020

Tested and reviewed by engineers, these top picks make coding, robotics and engineering more accessible than ever

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2020

From cookbooks to grocery-store exposés, these new books will tempt palates and fuel curiosity

Ancient City of Hegra Makes Its Public Debut

The archaeological site, now open to tourists, offers clues about the mysterious empire that built it and its more famous sister city of Petra in Jordan

Climate Change Causes Weak, Dangerous Lake Ice

Global warming causes temperature swings that leave ice weakened for days, with deadly consequences

When P-47 Thunderbolt Ruled the Skies

Remarkably tough, the versatile fighter delivered far more punishment than it took

This 5,000-Year-Old Tomb Is Spectacularly Preserved

Despite the fact that it’s over 5,000 years old, Maeshowe, Orkney's answer to Stonehenge, is in amazing shape. But why did Neolithic Britons go to such great lengths to build it?

The Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2020 — The Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2020

Tested and reviewed by engineers, these top picks make coding, robotics and engineering more accessible than ever

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2020 — The Ten Best Books About Food of 2020

From cookbooks to grocery-store exposés, these new books will tempt palates and fuel curiosity

Ancient City of Hegra Makes Its Public Debut — Ancient City of Hegra Makes Its Public Debut

The archaeological site, now open to tourists, offers clues about the mysterious empire that built it and its more famous sister city of Petra in Jordan

Climate Change Causes Weak, Dangerous Lake Ice — Climate Change Causes Weak, Dangerous Lake Ice

Global warming causes temperature swings that leave ice weakened for days, with deadly consequences

When P-47 Thunderbolt Ruled the Skies — When P-47 Thunderbolt Ruled the Skies

Remarkably tough, the versatile fighter delivered far more punishment than it took

This 5,000-Year-Old Tomb Is Spectacularly Preserved — This 5,000-Year-Old Tomb Is Spectacularly Preserved

Despite the fact that it’s over 5,000 years old, Maeshowe, Orkney's answer to Stonehenge, is in amazing shape. But why did Neolithic Britons go to such great lengths to build it?

41 minutes ago

Twelve Ancient and Enduring Places Around the World

41 minutes ago

What Happened on John Lennon’s Last Day

November 27, 2020

The Ten Best Science Books of 2020

November 27, 2020

The Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2020

Holiday Gift Guide November 25, 2020

The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2020

November 25, 2020

Why National Marine Sanctuaries Are Another of America's Best Ideas

Holiday Gift Guide November 25, 2020

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2020

November 25, 2020

View Amazing Photos and Video of a Turkey Dust Bathing

November 24, 2020

Why the P-47 Thunderbolt, a World War II Beast of the Airways, Ruled the Skies

November 24, 2020

Why the Myths of Plymouth Dominate the American Imagination

Smithsonian Voices November 24, 2020

Seven Native American Chefs Share Thanksgiving Recipes

November 23, 2020

Hegra, an Ancient City in Saudi Arabia Untouched for Millennia, Makes Its Public Debut

Smithsonian Voices November 23, 2020

Why the Smithsonian Is Encouraging Americans to Talk More Openly About Race

Based on a True Story November 23, 2020

A Brief History of the Falklands War

Pandamonium November 16, 2020 | Updated: November 23, 2020

The National Zoo Reveals Its New Panda Cub's Name

November 23, 2020

China Prepares to Launch Its Most Ambitious Moon Mission Yet

November 23, 2020

The Storied History of Giving in America

COVID-19 November 23, 2020

What Is the Best Strategy to Deploy a Covid-19 Vaccine?

November 23, 2020

A History of Felines, as Narrated and Illustrated by a Cat

More Recent Stories »

SmartNews Keeping you current

November 27, 2020

Cool Finds

Melting Ice in Norway Reveals Ancient Arrows

November 27, 2020

World's Only Known White Giraffe Now Has a GPS Tracker

November 27, 2020

New Research

These Bats Mask Up to Woo Mates

November 25, 2020

Are Small Gatherings Driving Recent Covid-19 Surges? Policymakers and Scientists Are at Odds

November 25, 2020

Cool Finds

Theories Abound About the Origins of a Mysterious Monolith Discovered in the Utah Desert

November 25, 2020

Two Darwin Notebooks Quietly Went Missing 20 Years Ago. Were They Stolen?

November 25, 2020

New Research

Monarch Caterpillars Butt Heads Over Milkweed

November 25, 2020

Cool Finds

Early John Constable Sketches Spent 200 Years Forgotten in a Family Scrapbook

November 25, 2020

New Research

Platypuses Lost 22% of Their Habitat Over Last 30 Years

November 24, 2020

Why Hunger and Loneliness Activate the Same Part of the Brain

November 24, 2020

Why a Planned Statue of Britain's 'Iron Lady,' Margaret Thatcher, Is So Polarizing

November 24, 2020

New Research

Climate Change Causes Weaker, More Dangerous Lake Ice

More SmartNews Stories »

History

social media dimensions

Science

An illustration of hillside with a tree in the middle against the backdrop of the night sky. The tree's trunk is the spine of a book titles "All We Can Save." An owl sits in the tree's branches. Planets dot the night sky with two eel-shaped constellations

Innovation

Featured Videos

What Made the Viking Longship So Terrifyingly Effective

Stunning Footage of Two Bears Duking It Out for Dominance

King Tutankhamun Was Thought To Have A Direct Link To The Sun God

Subscribe

Save 84% off the newsstand price!

First & Last Name

Last Name

First Name

Address 1

Address 2

City / State

City

State

Zip

Email Address

Enter your email address