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Bailey Bedford

Bailey Bedford is an intern in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs. His science journalism has appeared in Inside Science, Eos, The San Jose Mercury News and other outlets. He recently completed the graduate program in Science Communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He also holds a MS and a BS in physics from Pennsylvania State University and Oklahoma University, respectively.

Stories from this author

This African Bush Elephant is just the first of many photogenic sites for visitors at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. (James Di Loreto, Smithsonian Institution)

How to Take the Perfect Selfie at the Smithsonian

This #MuseumSelfieDay, take the perfect selfie at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Many artists work hard to bring dinosaurs to life with accurate details, but often products can be out dated or be careless with details like how Diplodocus held their necks. (© N. Tamura CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

A Shopper’s Guide to Dinosaur Gifts

Tips to help you buy scientifically accurate dinosaur gifts for your loved one.

Museum staff, Laura Donnelly-Smith and Sally Love, try out the new audio description app in the “Hall of Fossils – Deep Time.” (Lucia RM Martino, Smithsonian Institution)

New App Takes Smithsonian Visitors Beyond Visuals

A new audio description app welcomes visitors to more autonomously explore the fossil hall.

A chocolate model of the African Bush Elephant in the rotunda of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History on top of a festive holiday cake celebrating the museum. (Smithsonian Institution)

How Elaborate Cakes Make Science Sweet

Smithsonian archaeologist Eric Hollinger makes science sweet with elaborate, science-themed cakes.

A Bryde's whale from a community in the Gulf of Mexico. The rare whales face a myriad of threats including pollution and being hit by ships. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Saving This Rare Whale Skeleton was a Dirty Job

The Smithsonian welcomes a rare whale skeleton that was found dead on an island in the Florida Everglades. The specimen is expected to help scientists better define and understand the endangered species.

The spectacled flowerpecker has been spotted eating mistletoe, a parasitic plant that grows high in Borneo’s forest canopy. The distinctive white markings around the eyes earned these birds their common name. (John Anderton)

Scientists Describe New Bird Species 10 Years After First Reported Sighting

In an article published today in the journal <i>Zootaxa</i>, Smithsonian researchers described the spectacled flowerpecker after a decade of only scattered sightings and photographs of the small gray birds.

On opening day of the new fossil hall, visitors flocked to the windows of the FossiLab to see fossil preparation in action. (James D. Tiller, Smithsonian Institution)

Smithsonian Puts Backstage Fossil Preparation Center Stage in its New Fossil Hall

Watch a team of volunteers prepare real fossils in the Smithsonian's new fossil hall.

South American rivers are home to at least three different species of electric eels. One species, Electrophorus varii, named after the late Smithsonian ichthyologist Richard Vari, swims through murky, slow-flowing lowland waters. (D. Bastos)

Fish Detective Solves a Shocking Case of Mistaken Identity

Smithsonian scientist David de Santana discovered two new species of electric eels in the Amazon rainforest.