T.A. Frail

T.A. Frail

Tom Frail is a senior editor for Smithsonian magazine. He previously worked as a senior editor for the Washington Post and for Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.

The new, animated Grinch

Top 10 Real-Life Grinches Who Did Their Best to Steal Christmas

These historical humbugs rival Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grinch in their lack of holiday spirit

It is not uncommon for highlands churches to be situated within caves. Mekina Medhane Alem, built of wood and layered stone, contains 800-year-old paintings but is believed to be centuries older.

A Legendary Photographer Visits an Isolated Christian Community in Ethiopia

High in the mountains of eastern Africa, an ancient way of life continues apace

Jefferson Davis

The Trial of the Century That Wasn't

The case against Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, would have been a legal showdown of the ages

Kiyoshi Katsumoto at his home in El Cerrito, California, 2015

The Injustice of Japanese-American Internment Camps Resonates Strongly to This Day

During WWII, 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forced into camps, a government action that still haunts victims and their descendants

Waiting three years for his visa to come through, Wahdat rarely left his home.

The Tragic Fate of the Afghan Interpreters the U.S. Left Behind

These men risked their lives for the U.S. military. Now many would like to come to America but are stranded — and in danger

Lisa Kathleen Graddy and Jon Grinspan, curators with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

How Do Smithsonian Curators Decide What to Collect at the Political Conventions?

For Smithsonian’s Lisa Kathleen Graddy and Jon Grinspan, it’s trying to guess what people of the future will want to know about 2016

Concerns about patronage under the Grant Administration inspired Horace Greeley (depicted above Grant's left shoulder) to run for President.

The Only Time a Major Party Embraced a Third-Party Candidate for President

Horace Greeley was the choice of the splinter grip named the Liberal Republican Party and that of the Democrats

Republican Convention in session, Cleveland Public Auditorium, 1924

When the GOP Picked a Nominee for Vice President, Only to Be Rejected

Their unrequited choice seemed utterly uninterested in the role

The model arrived at the Smithsonian in 1974 lacking most of its lights, and replacements burned hot and gave off damaging ultraviolet light. Specialists Will Lee (left) and David Wilson work on ways to deploy new LEDs, which give off little heat and no UV light.

The Starship Enterprise Is Coming in for a New Landing at the Smithsonian

This artifact in the Air and Space Museum collections boldly returns to public view

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The Best History Books of 2015

Beyond the boldface names are these chronicles from the past year that are well worth your time

Muhammad Ali, Abraham Lincoln, and Georgia O'Keeffe are among the Americans listed

Meet the 100 Most Significant Americans of All Time

A new, special issue of <em>Smithsonian</em> magazine attempts the impossible: to list out the most significant people in United States history

A Remote Cold War Radar System Has New Use in a Warming World

The stations designed to ring an alarm against nuclear attack may have new responsibilities due to climate change

What future will our children inherit?

New Poll Reveals Americans' Predictions of the Future

What are they most fearful of? What are they most optimistic about?

Carlos, by Joseph Rodriguez: a sense of ownership of the city

Witnessing the Latino Experience at the American Art Museum

A voluminous new exhibition highlights Latino art as American art

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Document Deep Dive: How the Homestead Act Transformed America

Compare documents filed by the first and last homesteaders in the United States

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A By-The-Numbers Look at American Real Estate

An index to houses great and small over the centuries

Gripping Photos of Fallen Soldiers’ Bedrooms

A photographer's images of domestic tranquility pay tribute to U.S. service members

Wolves hunting moose on Isle Royale are a dramatic example of what scientists call co-evolution: two species, such as a predator and its prey, adapting to each other’s adaptations.

Evolution World Tour: Isle Royale, Michigan

Moose and wolves face off in the world’s longest-running study of predators and prey

This monumental complex embraces a palace, courtyards, gardens, gazebos, ceremonial gates, an artificial lake and the Jama Masjid, a mosque big enough for 10,000 worshipers.

The Ancient Architecture of Fatehpur Sikri

Abandoned for centuries, the Indian site attracts tourists from around the world for its majestic buildings

A sperm whale dives deep in Trinity Bay off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada

Whale Watching in Newfoundland

Once a home base for commercial whalers, the Canadian province is now a popular locale for spotting the massive creatures

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