Helen Thompson

Helen Thompson

 

Helen Thompson writes about science and culture for Smithsonian. She's previously written for NPR, National Geographic News, Nature and others.

Benjamin Rush, prominent colonial physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence, wrote a treatise on alcohol in 1784 that still influences how medicine views substance abuse today.

Meet the Doctor Who Convinced America to Sober Up

Meet Benjamin Rush, father of the temperance movement, signer of the Declaration of Independence

Is air in the country healthier than air in the city? One scientist has a theory as to why that's the case, and it's got nothing to do with pollution.

Is Country Air Really Better Than City Air?

One scientist thinks it’s because of toxic plant chemicals

A new campaign encourages fireworks enthusiasts to be courteous with their explosions this 4th of July.

For Veterans' Sake, Make A Little Less Noise With Your 4th of July Fireworks

Fireworks can trigger PTSD in some veterans, and one organization is trying to raise awareness

NASA is starting to brainstorm where humans should land on Mars.

Where Should Humans Land on Mars? NASA Wants to Hear Your Suggestions

In October, the agency will hear proposals on where to put a Mars base

The Jazz pattern that graced paper cups, like this one in the 1990s, remains a source of fascination in pop culture.

How the Internet Tracked Down the Designer of the Beloved Jazz Paper Cup

Meet Gina, the woman behind the iconic paper cup pattern

The Cassini spacecraft took this image of three of Saturn's moons, Rhea, Mimas and Titan.

See Three of Saturn’s Moons Pose in a Family Photo

While in orbit, Cassini captures a stunning shot of three crescents

A screenshot of Lynn Hill climbing El Capitan in Street View.

Scale El Capitan From Your Couch Using Google Street View

The latest expansion of the Maps project takes users up Yosemite’s iconic climb

The U.K.'s National Health Service plans to test artificial blood in a clinical trial in 2017.

The First Human Clinical Trial of Synthetic Blood Will Begin Soon

People could receive artificial blood transfusions as early as 2017

Researchers witnessed this coral slowly slurp up a sea slug back in December of 2014.

That Time a Mushroom Coral Ate a Sea Slug

Researchers observed the rare event off the coast of Thailand

Jumping worms are becoming more common in Wisconsin. This photo shows what is likely an Amynthas agrestis jumping worm in Pennsylvania, though its identification is unconfirmed.

Jumping Worms Have Invaded Wisconsin

A wriggling worm is becoming a problem in the Midwest

Horses race in the 2015 Belmont Stakes. Researchers have found that horse race speed has increased since 1850.

Racehorse Speed Hasn’t Peaked Yet

But how will horses fare in the race to get faster?

A small cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae) hovers on a hedge mustard plant (Sisybrium officinale). While the butterfly might look harmless enough, its caterpillars engage in a chemical war with this mustard plant's cultivated relatives.

Mustard Is A Product Of Evolutionary Warfare Between Plants And Caterpillars

Plants produce mustard oils to fight off pests in a chemical conflict that’s been waged for millions of years

A mermaid as depicted in Sea Fables Explained by Henry Lee, published in 1883.

The Murky Tale of John Smith and the Mermaid

Alexander Dumas probably just made it up

A genetically modified lamb from a research lab in France was accidentally sent to market in November. It's unclear who might have eaten her.

A Genetically Modified Sheep was Sent to a Slaughter House and Sold for Meat

The lamb came from a agricultural research lab and was equipped with a jellyfish gene

According to some scholars Vincent Van Gogh sits third from the left in this photograph. Surrounding him are artist Emile Bernard, politician Félix Jobbé-Duval, actor André Antoine and artist Paul Gauguin.

Is This a Photograph of Vincent Van Gogh?

Some scholars think the camera shy artist can be spotted in an image taken by an amateur photographer, while others disagree

Evidence (some anecdotal and some clinical) suggests that hookworms could suppress the immune response in people with allergies and other inflammatory diseases.

Can Hookworms Cure Hayfever?

Maybe. But we need to learn a lot more about them before they hit pharmacy shelves

As the price of their wool rises, vicuñas, like the one picture here near the ALMA telescope in Chile, faces threats from poaching gangs.

Poachers Are Killing Andean Camels for Their Wool

To meet a growing demand for vicuña wool in Europe and Asia, gangs are massacring herds of the animals in South America

The modern Mystacina tuberculata, depicted in the sketch above, may be a distant relative of a newly discovered ancient bat called Mystacina miocenalis.

16 Million Years Ago This Giant Bat Walked the Jungles of New Zealand

A new fossil gives clues to just how long ago bats arrived on the islands

A stained tissue sample from 1967 reveals the presence of Chlamydia psittaci bacteria.

The Mystery of the Failed Chlamydia Vaccine

In the 1960s, a vaccine for chlamydia made patients more susceptible to chlamydia. Now scientists know why

Scientist know that Venus' surface, depicted here based on radar data, was shaped by volcanoes, and a new study suggests they may still be active.

Venus (Probably) Has Active Volcanoes

And they’re (probably) erupting!

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