Smithsonian Voices

From the Smithsonian Museums

Tsavorite 116.76 carat Square-Cushion Smithsonian Dark Background.jpg

The Story Behind the Smithsonian’s Newest Gem: the Exquisite Lion of Merelani

The stunning tsavorite gemstone arrives at the museum with a well-documented history

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Meet the Smithsonian Scientist Venturing to Volcanoes to Understand the Origins of Earth’s Surface

In an aerial shot of the desert, a dry lakebed is surrounded by swaths of white salt flats.

Clay-Encrusted Microbes Provide Clues to How Early Life Developed on Earth and Potentially Mars

A dark sky just after dusk is set ablaze by several streaking meteorites

5 Facts About Meteors and Meteorites That Are Out of This World

A chuck of natural, light blue and gray aquamarine beryl on white background.

How X-Rays Unlocked the Mystery of Crystals

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

How Turquoise Replaced Emeralds in This Royal Diadem

Museum display of the Berns Quartz from the front. The specimen is behind counter-height glass with a backdrop of Arkansas' Ouachita Mountains.

The Story Behind the New 8,000-Pound Quartz at the Smithsonian

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Museum Collections Provide Some Muscle for Mussel Conservation

Discover How Domesticating Dogs Influenced Human Evolution and Other Natural History Programs This May

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