Meilan Solly

Meilan Solly

 

Meilan Solly is Smithsonian magazine's associate digital editor, history.

Pope Joan allegedly enjoyed a brief tenure as the Catholic Church's leader during the mid-800s

Why the Legend of Medieval Pope Joan Persists

The mythical female pope is back in the news as an academic uses medieval coins to look for physical evidence of her reign

Humans' CMAH gene mutation may enable them to exhibit higher endurance over long periods of exercise

Human Gene Mutation May Have Paved the Way for Long-Distance Running

Mice with engineered versions of the CMAH gene exhibited 30 percent better endurance than those without

The wolf cub is the better-preserved of the two specimens, with everything from its fur to its tail and curled upper lip still intact

Gold Miners Unearth 50,000-Year-Old Caribou Calf, Wolf Pup From Canadian Permafrost

Both animals' fur, skin and muscle are almost perfectly preserved

The master female ceramicist likely created large vases, known as pithoi, similar to these

Her 3,000-Year-Old Bones Showed Unusual Signs of Wear. It Turns Out, She Was a Master Ceramicist

After analyzing the woman’s skeleton, researchers unlocked her past as an ancient Greek artisan

A popular 19th-century slide depicts rats jumping into the throat of a sleeping man

Before There Was Streaming, the Victorians Had "Magic Lanterns"

New research finds these early image projectors, which brought world landmarks, fairytale favorites to life, were a regular part of middle-class life

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station captured incredible images of Hurricane Florence on Sept. 10.

Five Ways Cultural Institutions, Landmarks and Zoos Are Prepping for Hurricane Florence

Many museums are closing their doors, while zoos and aquariums are moving their animals indoors

Charles-Dominique-Joseph Eisen, Preparatory sketch with a drawn frame for an illustration of the "Comedy Les Moissonneurs," 1768

Cornelius Wasn’t the Only Gurlitt Sibling to Inherit Nazi-Looted Art

Nicoline Benita Renate Gurlitt received 18 works from her father’s trove of stolen art, and four of these works were just returned to their rightful owners

The toppled head of Augustus spent centuries buried underneath the door to an invading force's victory shrine

British Museum Traces History of Dissent From Ancient Egypt to Today

'I Object: Ian Hislop’s Search for Dissent' span centuries, continents

In 2017, scientists identified 2,189 new species of fungi, including the Galapagos Island lichen pictured here

Fungi Call Oil Paintings, Cockroach Guts Home Sweet Home

Scientists say they have identified a fungus species that could aid the fight against plastic pollution

A cross marks the death of the 340 murdered villagers of Lidice.

The Lost Children of the Lidice Massacre

The Nazis arbitrarily slaughtered the Czech villagers, angering the world, even as Europe's Jews faced similar fates in concentration camps

Nine men's morris is a strategy game that dates back to the Roman Empire and is similar to modern-day checkers

Excavations at Medieval Vyborg Castle Reveal Secrets of "Hidden" Passageway

The finds include a game board etched into the surface of a clay brick that was likely used to play a variation of the strategy game nine men’s morris

The device is designed to function as an artificial shoreline, drifting with ocean currents and collecting plastic in a 10-foot net-like screen

2,000-Foot-Long Plastic Catcher Released to Aid Cleanup of Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Skeptics argue the device will endanger marine wildlife, exacerbate existing pollution problems

The Iceman's tattoos align with classic acupuncture points, and the plants found amongst his belongings have well-known medical applications

What Ötzi the Iceman’s Tattoos Reveal About Copper Age Medical Practices

New study argues that the 5,300-year-old Iceman’s community boasted surprisingly advanced health care techniques

The graffiti found on St. Sophia's walls includes sketches of cats, business announcements and invocations of medieval curses

Artificial Intelligence Can Now Decipher Medieval Graffiti (Cat Sketches and All)

Researchers sought to decipher the 11th-century graffiti adorning the walls of St. Sophia’s Cathedral in Kiev

To animals that rely on learned migration patterns, accumulated knowledge and thriving physical landscapes are equally essential for survival

Bighorn Sheep and Moose Learn Migration Then Pass Knowledge on to Next Generation

Hooved animals known as ungulates rely on generational lessons to guide seasonal migration, locate high-quality vegetation

The moa, a species of giant flightless birds, went extinct soon after humans arrived in New Zealand during the 13th century

Oral History Suggests Māori Proverbs on Bird Extinction Mirrored Fears of Indigenous Group’s Own Decline

The moa, a giant flightless bird, served as symbol of extinction and reflection of Māori fears over encroaching European presence

Sofonisba Anguissola, "Self-Portrait at the Easel Painting a Devotional Panel," 1556

Madrid’s Prado Museum Will Spotlight Pioneering Duo of Female Renaissance Artists

Lavinia Fontana is widely considered the first professional female artist, while Sofonisba Anguissola served as Philip II of Spain’s court painter

Until now, it’s been unclear whether the bonnethead's seagrass consumption was intentional or the result of indiscriminate feeding

Fish Are Friends, Not (Always) Food: Meet the World’s First Omnivorous Shark Species

Bonnethead sharks enjoy a diet of up to 60 percent seagrass, as well as crab, shrimp, snails and bonyfish

The eight-foot-deep pit contained two ancient coffins and an array of funerary vases.

Greek Farmer Stumbles Onto 3,400-Year-Old Tomb Hidden Below His Olive Grove

The Crete local was trying to park his vehicle when he accidentally unearthed the ancient Minoan grave

The National Museum, seen from above, after the overnight fire in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Why Brazil's National Museum Fire Was a Devastating Blow to South America's Cultural Heritage

The collection of more than 20 million artifacts included the oldest fossil found in the Americas and a trove of indigenous literature

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