Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Stories from Sarah Kuta

A firefighting aircraft drops retardant to stop the spread of the Oak Fire in California

A Fast-Moving Wildfire Is Spreading Near Yosemite National Park

The Oak Fire has forced thousands of Mariposa County residents to evacuate

The U.S. government seized the Amadea, a yacht it says is owned by Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov.

‘Alleged’ Fabergé Egg Found Aboard a Seized Russian Oligarch’s Yacht

The rare egg may not be authentic—but if it is, it could be worth millions

Travelers are facing long lines, delays, cancellations and other disruptions at airports this summer.

Will Electronic Bag Tags Make Air Travel Less Chaotic?

Amid delays, cancellations and long lines, Alaska Airlines is rolling out a new technology that could make checking a bag easier and faster

Aldrin's Apollo 11 inflight coverall jacket

These Objects Tell the Story of Buzz Aldrin’s Career

The astronaut is auctioning off his moon-landing jacket and other space gear

Monarch populations are declining.

Migratory Monarch Butterflies Are Listed as an Endangered Species

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the iconic North American butterfly is getting closer to extinction

The crater of Mount Vesuvius 

American Tourist Rescued After Falling Into Mount Vesuvius Crater

Using a long rope, volcano guides pulled the man to safety

A polar bear mom and cub wander near the quarry on the outskirts of Churchill. 

As Arctic Temperatures Rise, Polar Bears Are Eating More Garbage

A new paper warns that a growing reliance on trash is leading to more human-bear conflict

A still from “Squid Game”

How Korean Pop Culture Took the World by Storm

A new exhibition will explore the rise of South Korean fashion, movies, music and more

Archaeologists carefully brush away dirt from the skeleton.

Archaeologists Uncover Rare Human Skeleton at Waterloo

The bones were discovered in a ditch near a former field hospital

Malaysian customs officials seized thousands of pounds of elephant tusks, pangolin scales, rhino horns and other animal parts in July.

Malaysia Authorities Seize Elephant Tusks, Rhino Horns Worth $18 Million

Criminals had hidden the contraband animal parts in a container full of sawn timber

Elephant trunks are strong and precise.

Skin Helps Explain Why Elephant Trunks Are So Handy

Researchers discovered that the skin on the top of the trunk is more pliable and can stretch farther than the bottom

Patients who are struggling with everything from ADHD to eating disorders have turned to art therapy for help.

How Making Art Helps Improve Mental Health

With depression and anxiety on the rise during the pandemic, more professionals may adopt art therapy as a treatment

A scene from "Light and Magic"

This Visual Effects Studio Transformed Movies Forever

A new documentary tells the story of Industrial Light and Magic, the pioneering team that brought films like “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park” to life

The underground pitchers of Nepenthes pudica

This New Species of Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Traps Its Prey Underground

Researchers discovered the new specimen in the rainforests of Borneo

The new Hong Kong Palace Museum

How the Hong Kong Palace Museum Is Forging Its Own Identity

The new museum overcame a rocky start and a typhoon delay to open to eager crowds on July 3

Scientists asked participants to record their emotions and hunger levels five times a day for three weeks.

Getting ‘Hangry’ Is Real, Science Suggests

A new study explores the link between hunger and anger in the real world—and finds a connection

Models holding hands in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2019

How Fashion Helped Shape Africa’s Cultural Renaissance

A new exhibition at the V&A in London explores historic and contemporary African designers, photographers, models, makeup artists and illustrators

Helicopters fly above the collapsed section of the Marmolada glacier in Italy.

Glacier Collapse Kills Seven Hikers Amid Record Heat in Italy’s Dolomites

Rescuers are still searching for missing people after the deadly avalanche on Marmolada on Sunday

A fresco depicting the abduction of Europa by Zeus, in the form of a bull

See the Hidden, 500-Year-Old Frescoes Discovered at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco

Restoration experts spent years preserving the artworks, which are now on view as the royal residence reopens for the summer

The female python weighed 215 pounds and measured 18 feet long.

Florida Biologists Capture Record-Breaking 215-Pound Python

Invasive Burmese pythons are wreaking havoc on native wildlife and ecosystems in the Everglades

Page 86 of 91