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National Museum of Natural History

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Meet the Researcher Studying How Ancient Human Migrations Shaped a Hotbed of Avocado Diversity in Central America

While collecting avocado leaf samples in Nicaragua, archaeobotanist Kevin Wann finally tasted the fruit he has spent years studying

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The Buffalo is Life: Inside the Symbiotic Relationship Between Bison and Native Communities

The National Museum of Natural History worked with Indigenous experts to spotlight the enduring cultural significance of buffalo in the exhibition “Bison: Standing Strong”

A man wearing an orange rain jacket sits on a boat, framed by the ocean and a glacier behind him.

Meet the Scientist Tracing 10,000 Years of Indigenous Life Along Alaska's Southern Coast

Aron Crowell weaves Indigenous knowledge, archaeology and environmental science into a powerful narrative of cultural resilience in the Arctic

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The History of the World in Seven Snails

For National Snail Day, museum research fellow Melissa Betters explores the mollusks’ notable nature

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Smithsonian Scientists Discover That Traditional Agricultural Practices in the Amazon Helped Yield an Enduring Crop Clone

Genetic analyses and interviews with Indigenous farmers revealed that most manioc crops resemble each other across time and space

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This February, Meet the Women Transforming Science at the National Museum of Natural History

Mark your calendar for the Mother Tongue Film Festival and events covering everything from odd oceanic couples to resilient deer

Two women stand in a field, holding bundles of grasses with a rainbow coloring the sky in the background.

To Bridge Heritage and Science, the Smithsonian’s Inclusive Education Programs Empower Learners Through Culture and Community

Through Indigenous weaving workshops and environmental science projects, the Smithsonian engages in co-learning projects to support culturally responsive education

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Fetching Fossils and Unwrapping Mannequins: Here’s What Happens When a Museum Exhibition Closes

In the wrap-up of “Objects of Wonder,” hundreds of the museum’s most treasured specimens are returning to the collection

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Check Out These Wondrous Objects on Display Before They Return to the Museum’s Collection

From whale earwax to a shimmering ammonite shell, the “Objects of Wonder” exhibition spotlights some of the museum’s most intriguing specimens

In a black and white photo, three women and one man sit together in a room with a large circular window behind them, surrounded by papers.

Honoring the Overlooked Contributions of Women Anthropologists in the National Anthropological Archives

Ongoing research in the Department of Anthropology brings to light historically under recognized contributions of female researchers and staff

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