Jane Recker

Jane Recker

 

Jane Recker has written for Washingtonian Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and holds degrees in journalism and opera. 

A popular tourist site, Turkmenistan's Darvasa crater pit has been burning gas for over 50 years. The country's attempts to put out its flames have been unsuccessful. 

The Quest to Extinguish the Flames of Turkmenistan's Terrifying 'Gates of Hell' Firepit

The country's president says it’s time to quash the ongoing 50-year blaze at the 230-foot-wide Darvaza gas crater

Earlshall Castle has hosted royalty over the years and sits on 34 acres of parkland and gardens. 

You Could Own a Possibly Haunted Castle Visited by Mary, Queen of Scots

Located in Fife, Scotland, the 16th-century Earlshall Castle boasts a rich history—and its very own ghost story

Queen Liliʻuokalani (above in Honolulu in 1917) “was one of the most successful composers . . . so much so that her repertoire remains at the forefront of those performed by Hawaiian musicians today,” says the Smithsonian's John Troutman

How the Music of Hawaiʻi’s Last Ruler Guided the Island’s People Through Crisis

A prolific composer, Queen Liliʻuokalani created some of the most popular Hawaiian tunes and compositions of all time

A portrait (detail, above) of Mary Church Terrell, a prominent D.C. activist and suffragist. The image is just one of dozens of turn-of-the-century photographs featured in "Pictures with Purpose"

For Turn-of-the-Century African-Americans, the Camera Was a Tool for Empowerment

A new installment in the Smithsonian's “Double Exposure” photo book series depicts black Americans championing their lives through photography

Onlookers watch as police remove the bodies of the victims of an execution-style murder from the scene at 2122 North Clark Street in Chicago.

Six of the Most Famous Mob Murders of All Time

The death of Gambino crime family head Frank Cali brings to mind these mafia killings from years past

The new designs call for the reopening of a long shuttered underground passageway that connects the garden to the museum plaza, as well as plans for a new area for large-scale contemporary works, performance spaces and intimate settings for the museum’s masterpiece collections.

Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden to Undergo First Redesign in More Than 40 Years

Hiroshi Sugimoto’s design provides easier access from the National Mall and space for larger installations

Moros was probably about 170 pounds, or roughly the size or a deer.

Meet T. Rex's Teeny Cousin Whose Name Means 'Impending Doom'

A newly discovered tyrannosauroid provides insight into the 70 million year gap in North American tyrannosaur evolutionary records

The late publisher and editor Betty Ballantine at the Nebula Awards on April 28, 2002 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Sci-Fi Lovers Owe a Debt of Gratitude to Betty Ballantine

"Introverted and quiet" Betty, who ran the editorial side of the Ballantine publishing companies, deserves her due for changing the industry

The gray tufted langur was a favorite target for the early humans of Fa Hien Cave in Sri Lanka.

Ancient Humans Living in the Rainforest Hunted Monkeys and Squirrels

After analyzing nearly 15,000 animal remains in Sri Lanka, scientists found humans used carved stone and bone fragments to hunt small game

Racial Gap in Cancer Mortality Rates Narrows

The American Cancer Society reports for some age and gender groups, the race-based disparity is now nearly nonexistent

What a cute cowple.

Cows Can Swipe Right for Love on This New Dating App

Tudder is looking to change the livestock industry by letting farmers look for breeding mates for their cattle with an app

The Dallas City Council voted on Wednesday to remove the Confederate Memorial in Pioneer Park Cemetery next to the downtown convention center.

Dallas City Council Votes to Remove Massive Confederate War Memorial

In a 11-4 vote, the City Council decided to remove the 65-foot-tall monument from its location in the heart of the city

Revenge is sweet.

Feed Your Ex to a Bear This Valentine’s Day—or Name a Cockroach After Them

Conservation centers and zoos around the world are providing ample opportunities for people to get petty by letting them name prey after their past lovers

Visitors can still see iconic aircraft, like the Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis (right) and Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis in the centralized “Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall.”

National Air and Space Museum Says Pardon Our Renovation, but Come Anyway

In need of a new facade, the museum undergoes top-to-bottom change, bringing state-of-the-art technology and 21st century stories into its exhibitions

Scientists studying bacteria in the gut continue to find evidence of the role these organisms play in human health.

Scientists Find a Possible Link Between Gut Bacteria and Depression

A new study identifies bacteria in the microbiome that could produce neurotransmitters and potentially influence activity in the brain

The Panda Cams had to be turned off during the shutdown and so for the past month, the crown jewel of the National Zoo has been hidden from the public.

Smithsonian Staffers Scramble to Make Up Time Lost During Government Shutdown

Workers are back, the museums are open, the pandas are well, but officials say the ramifications of the shutdown are far from over

Ice and wind turn turn Japan's Maries’ fir trees into frozen figures.

Arboreal 'Snow Monsters' Overrun Northern Japan Every Winter

Ice and wind transform these high altitude fir trees of into real-life White Walkers

The first column shows the image being displayed on the LCD screen that the camera couldn't see. The second image is what was reflected onto the white wall, or the scene the camera captured. The third and fourth were produced without knowing the position of the occluded object. The last row, slightly better, shows the image produced with knowledge of the object's location.

Scientists Used an Ordinary Digital Camera to Peer Around a Corner

A team from Boston University recreated an image of an object using its shadow

A rendering of the lobby of the Statue of Liberty Museum, featuring the statue's original torch

From Lady Liberty to Hollywood to the Middle East, These Are the Most Exciting Museums Opening in 2019

Visit new institutions devoted to mascots, spies, archaeological sites, American icons and much more this year

Elvis tribute artist Alfred Kaz, also known as 'Bollywood Elvis' poses at Central Station ahead of boarding the 'Elvis Express' on January 10, 2019 in Sydney, Australia.

Once a Year, Over 27,000 Elvis Fans Flood This Small Australian Town

The Parkes Elvis Festival draws thousands from around the globe each January to celebrate the King's birthday

Page 6 of 7