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Anna Torres

Anna Torres is a Public Affairs Specialist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. She translates the museum’s science and history-based research and collections information into compelling stories through media relations and the museum’s blog, with additional duties in communications and public affairs. When she isn’t at the museum, Anna spends her time traveling and playing soccer. Anna holds an MA in history and public history from American University.

Stories from this author

A light blue and red tomopterid worm swimming in black water. A light blue credit line along the worm's end reads "Copyright 2012 K.J. Osborn, Smithsonian."

Explore Ocean Bioluminescence and More Free Natural History Programs This December

Stream these programs and more through the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Two-toed sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni) live in the canopy layer of the Panamanian rainforest. Find out why in a family program streaming July 17. (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Punta Culebra Nature Center)

Five Free Natural History Programs Streaming in July

Stream these free programs and more this July through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Discover why and how seabirds, like the parasitic jaeger, migrate in a virtual program on June 8. (Per Harald Olsen/NTNU, CC BY 2.0)

Five Free Natural History Programs Streaming in June

Stream these free programs from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History this June.

Filmmaker and Director Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu will talk about the role of storytelling in her film “Kapaemahu” in a panel discussion presented by the Mother Tongue Film Festival on May 14. (Still from “Kapaemahu,” courtesy of Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu)

Eight Free Natural History Programs Streaming in May

Stream these free programs and more this May through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Participate in the City Nature Challenge by spotting and recording animals and plants in your city starting Apr 30. (Katja Schulz)

11 Free Natural History Programs Streaming in April

Stream these free programs and more this April through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Traverse our universe in a special program from the National Museum of Natural History and National Air and Space Museum streaming on Mar. 3. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Nine Free Natural History Programs Streaming in March

Stream these free programs and more this March through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Celebrate the Mayan New Year with a Mayan astronomy webinar in Spanish and more in February’s lineup of virtual programs from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. (

Seven Free Natural History Programs Streaming in February

Stream these free science programs and more this February through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Take a virtual field trip to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute to see clouded leopards in a National Museum of Natural History Program streaming Jan 13. (Smithsonian)

Six Free Natural History Programs Streaming in January

Stream these free programs and more this January through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Yesmarie De La Flor answers your questions about what it’s like being a marine scientist in a National Museum of Natural History program streaming on Dec. 10. (Michelle Donahue, Smithsonian)

Seven Free Natural History Programs Streaming in December

Programs include a guided at-home science activity, a three-part seminar on the history of HIV and an evening with Rita Colwell.

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

How to Identify Rocks and Other Questions From Our Readers

Don't miss the season finale of the National Museum of Natural History's popular YouTube series, the "Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

How Do Volcanologists Predict Eruptions and Other Questions From Our Readers

In this week's episode, find out which state is the best for collecting rocks, what to use when you’re out of toilet paper in the wild and how volcanologists predict eruptions using gas emissions.

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

How Much Pressure is at Earth’s Center and Other Questions From Our Readers

Find out how much pressure is at the Earth’s center, what is Cottrell’s favorite thing about rocks and where she likes to hike in the latest episode of the National Museum of Natural History's popular YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

Which Volcano Spews Colder Lava and Other Questions From Our Readers

Check out the latest episode of the National Museum of Natural History's popular YouTube series "Doctor is In."

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the second season of the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Dr. Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

What’s Hotter Than the Sun and Other Questions From Our Readers

Find out what’s hotter than the sun, how many active volcanoes are in the United States and which national park is Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell’s favorite in the latest episode of "The Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions in the second season of the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Dr. Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

Outdoorsy Volcano Expert Answers Your Questions in Season 2 of ‘The Dr. Is In’

Smithsonian Geologist Liz Cottrell answers your questions about geology, the great outdoors and living off the grid in the second season of the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Dr. Is In.”

“Vai” is one of more than 20 films celebrating language and cultural diversity at the Smithsonian’s fifth annual Mother Tongue Film Festival. (Photo courtesy of MPI Media)

See Indigenous Films at the Mother Tongue Film Festival

Don't miss these films at the Smithsonian's fifth annual Mother Tongue Film Festival.

Smithsonian paleontologist, Hans Sues, answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s Deep Time YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

The Dr. Is In: Who Would Win in a Duel - T. rex or Stegosaurus - and Other Questions From Our Readers

Cat-loving paleontologist answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History's YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian paleontologist, Hans Sues, answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s Deep Time YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

The Dr. Is In: Is Dimetrodon a Dinosaur and Other Questions from Our Readers

Cat-loving paleontologist answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History's YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian paleontologist, Hans Sues, answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s Deep Time YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

The Dr. Is In: What Is the Smallest Known Dinosaur and Other Questions from Our Readers

Cat-loving paleontologist answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History's YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian paleontologist, Hans Sues, answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s Deep Time YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

The Dr. Is In: What Did Stegosaurus Eat and Other Questions from Our Readers

Cat-loving paleontologist answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History's YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian paleontologist, Hans Sues, answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s Deep Time YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

The Dr. Is In: Are Birds Dinosaurs and Other Questions from Our Readers

Cat-loving paleontologist answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History's YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Was the Loch Ness Monster a Plesiosaur? Smithsonian paleontologist, Hans Sues, answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

Was the Loch Ness Monster a Plesiosaur and Other Questions from Our Readers, Including Slash (Yes, THE Slash).

Cat-loving paleontologist answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History's YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Smithsonian paleontologist, Hans Sues, answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History’s YouTube series, “The Doctor Is In.” (Smithsonian Institution)

Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie? Smithsonian Scientist Weighs In

Cat-loving paleontologist answers your questions in the National Museum of Natural History's YouTube series, "The Doctor Is In."

Cat-loving paleontologist Hans Sues answers your questions about dinosaurs, humans, and cats in the Smithsonian's new YouTube series,

Ask This Paleontologist Anything about Dinosaurs, Humans and… Cats?

Paleontologist Hans Sues answers your questions about dinosaurs, humans and cats in the Smithsonian's new YouTube series, "The Dr. Is In."

The

The Dr. Is In: Cat-loving Paleontologist Answers Your Questions in New YouTube Series

Paleontologist Hans Sues answers your questions about dinosaurs, humans and cats in the Smithsonian's new YouTube series, "The Dr. Is In."

Past and present female scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History have advanced humankind’s understanding of the natural world and its place in it. L to R: Adrienne Kaeppler, Hannah Wood, Marian Pettibone, Sorena Sorenson and Kay Behrensmeyer. (Smithsonian Institution).

Get to Know the Leading Ladies of Science at the Smithsonian

These women paved the way for female scientists at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Sgaawaay K’uuna is one of more than 20 films celebrating language diversity that will be screened at the Smithsonian's Mother Tongue Film Festival. (Still from Sgaawaay K’uuna (Edge of the Knife))

Don’t Miss These Award-Winning Films at the Mother Tongue Film Festival

Celebrate language diversity at the Smithsonian's Mother Tongue Film Festival.

African Bush Elephant, Skeleton Coast, Namib Desert, Namibia by Arby Lipman. Winner of “African Wildlife.” (© Arby Lipman, Nature’s Best Photography Awards 2018)

Check out the Winning Photos From the 2018 Nature’s Best Photography Awards

60 stunning photographs depicting the beauty and diversity of nature are on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History through September 2019.

A fossil sea turtle skull excavated from Angola’s coastal cliffs. A cast of this fossil will be featured in “Sea Monsters Unearthed,” opening November 9 at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. (Hillsman S. Jackson, Southern Methodist University)

Q&A: Sea Monsters in Our Ancient Oceans Were Strangely Familiar

Stunning fossils reveal that Angola's ancient ocean ecosystem was at once strange and familiar.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History houses countless artifacts and specimens related to the American Presidency, like this meteorite which was presented to President Ulysses S. Grant by the Mexican government. (Paul Fetters for the Smithsonian)

Check Out These Unexpected Connections in Natural and Presidential History

To celebrate President’s Day, here are some of my favorite natural history artifacts and specimens that not only form the foundation for scientific discovery, but also reveal a piece of the American story.