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Science
Passage to the Pleistocene
At a site known as Natural Trap Cave, a team of scientists are rappelling down to uncover the secrets of what the Earth was like during the Pleistocene
Science
Balancing the Scales
The mammals’ return to the region represented a conservation success story, but their appetite for endangered fish is upsetting the balance of a delicate ecosystem
Travel
The Bittersweet Beginnings of Vanilla
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
Special Report
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
Photo of the Day
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Glamour Plumage
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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