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History
In Search of Siddhartha
The birthplace of the Buddha beckons worshipers from around the world, as well as researchers hoping to dig up new evidence about the revered spiritual leader
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The Bittersweet Beginnings of Vanilla Cultivation Can Be Traced Back to the Far-Flung Isle of Réunion
A journey to the remote Indian Ocean island reveals the story behind the fragrant, delicious, ubiquitous spice—and the enslaved youth who made it a commercial success
Smart News
Salvador Dalí’s Surrealist Screenplay ‘Giraffes on Horseback Salad’ Was Never Made. Can A.I. Bring It to Life?
Humpback Whales Give Birth Much Farther South Than Previously Thought, Study Finds
This Amateur Art Detective Thinks Paul Gauguin’s Last Self-Portrait Is a Fake
What’s the Best Way to Cut Onions Without Crying? New Research Suggests That Thin, Sharp Blades Are Key to Minimizing Tears
Boxes Full of Nazi Propaganda Discovered in the Basement of Argentina’s Supreme Court
Latest Features
Science
Can a Forgotten Bean Save the Brew?
One leading botanist is scouring remote corners of the earth to find new species that could keep our mugs full
Arts & Culture
Larger Than Life: Smithsonian Magazine’s 22nd Annual Photography Contest
By toying with perspective, this year’s best photos capture the sublime—and the uncanny
Most Popular
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Special Report
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America’s 250th Anniversary
To mark the 250th anniversary of America’s founding on July 4, 1776, Smithsonian magazine is highlighting the people, places and events that shaped the United States’ fight for independence from Great Britain
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Photo of the Day
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Road of Life
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Podcast
Smithsonian Podcast: There’s More to That
Smithsonian magazine covers history, science and culture in the way only it can — through a lens on the world that is insightful and grounded in richly reported stories. In There’s More to That, meet the magazine’s journalists and hear how they discover the forces behind the biggest issues of our time.
Latest Episodes
The Joys of Discovering the Roman Underground, From the Colosseum to What’s Beneath the Trevi Foundation
May 15, 2025 | 21 minutes
Dive Into the Deeper Story of the American Revolution on How New England and Virginia United Against the British
April 17, 2025 | 29 minutes
A Field of Dreams Built in an Unlikely Place: A Japanese American Internment Camp
April 3, 2025 | 38 minutes
History
The Shipwrecks From John Franklin’s Doomed Arctic Expedition Were Exactly Where the Inuit Said They Would Be
In May 1845, 129 British officers and crew members set out in search of the Northwest Passage on HMS “Erebus” and HMS “Terror.” None returned
Science
Why Have Birds Never Gotten as Big as T. Rex?
Even the most massive birds have never reached the sizes of their dinosaur relatives
Innovation
Google Is Training a New A.I. Model to Decode Dolphin Chatter—and Potentially Talk Back
The company says its new model, called DolphinGemma, will be made open source this summer. Researchers are also trying to train dolphins to mimic made-up names for certain objects
Travel
Eight Historic Moments That Took Place at the Waldorf Astoria New York
The famous hotel reopens this spring after an extensive renovation that began in 2017
Arts & Culture
Why the World Became So Obsessed With William Morris’ Colorful Floral Prints
The British artist’s designs appear on mugs, plates, shoes and more. A new exhibition explores how his signature style became so ubiquitous—and how Morris would feel about his 21st-century legacy
At the Smithsonian
The Secrets of How Life Began May Be Hidden Inside the World’s Oldest Rocks
Smithsonian researchers trekked to a remote site in northern Canada to collect four-billion-year-old rock samples that could unlock mysteries about Earth’s earliest history