Smithsonian Voices

From the Smithsonian Museums

Geolgist Cari Corrigan poses for a picture in the snow next to an American flag and a sign that reads "Geographic South Pole."

Get to Know the Geologist Collecting Antarctic Meteorites

Cari Corrigan gathers meteorites from the South Pole to help researchers understand the mineral makeup of asteroids and planets

Turquoise and diamond encrusted diadem on a black background that lightens to gray in the center.

How Turquoise Replaced Emeralds in This Royal Diadem

From forests to fish to flakes of snow, the science behind ice cream reaches beyond the cone. (Taryn Ellio)

The Strangely Scientific Endeavor of Making Ice Cream

Zircons are the oldest minerals in the world and come in colors like the rich blue above. Researchers have now used these gemstones to identify when modern plate tectonics began. (Ken Larsen)

New Study on Zircons Finds Plate Tectonics Began 3.6 Billion Years Ago

Many organisms like coral — and even people — create their own minerals to perform basic life functions. Geologists can study these biominerals to learn more about Earth. (Donald E. Hurlbert, Smithsonian)

How Biominerals are Stepping Stones for Climate Change Research

This is a giant spindle magnetofossil, created by a mysterious creature over 50 million years ago. So far, the iron fossils have only been found during two periods of intense global warming. (Kenneth Livi, Courtney Wagner, and Ioan Lascu)

New Way to Study Magnetic Fossils Could Help Unearth Their Origins

A meteorite in the process of being recovered by volunteers in the Antarctic Search for Meteorites program. The shiny fusion crust on this meteorite suggests it may be an achondrite. (ANSMET)

What Antarctic Meteorites Tell Us About Earth’s Origins

The original photos from late 1800s by famous snowflake photographer Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, are stored in the Smithsonian Archives. His pictures were instrumental in helping scientists examine snow’s crystalline properties. (Erin Malsbury, Smithsonian Open Access, Wilson A. Bentley)

Why Scientists Find Snowflakes Cool

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

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

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

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

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

Mount St. Helens in 2018. (USGS)

40 Years After Mount St. Helens, Scientists Make Tiny Eruptions to Study Volcanoes

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’

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Meet the scientist who studies how polychaete worms wriggle through the ocean

New Smithsonian Exhibition Explores the Intersection of People and Nature

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