National Museum of Natural History Blog

Smithsonian Voices

Two men and a woman stand together holding a case with a large diamond inside in this black and white image

How the 'King of Diamonds' Gave the National Museum of Natural History Its Crown Jewel

From the legendary Hope Diamond to a rainbow of colorful gemstones, a multigenerational bond between the Winston family and the Smithsonian transformed the museum’s world-renowned gem collection

Emma Saaty | June 3, 2025

How Do Diamonds Get Their Fancy Colors?

From brilliant blues to fiery reds, discover how nature crafts diamonds in every color, and why some shades are rarer than the rest

Emma Saaty | April 1, 2025

A circular rock is cut in half against a black background, revealing the plant material fossilized inside.

Meet the Scientist Studying 'Fossil Snapshots' of Ancient Insect Life

Paleobiologist Scott Lakeram analyzes 300-million-year-old coal ball fossils to reveal prehistoric plant-insect interactions frozen in time

Emma Saaty | March 6, 2025

A slab of multicolored, sedimentary rock is pictured with vibrant trees and water surrounding it.

Meet the Scientist Venturing to Remote Canada in Search of the Earth’s Oldest Rocks

Smithsonian researcher Wriju Chowdhury is part of an expedition searching for 4-billion-year-old crystals that could uncover the secrets behind Earth’s early history

Emma Saaty | August 1, 2024

How the Structure of a Mammoth Meteorite Reveals the Rough and Tumble Nature of the Asteroid Belt

The Old Woman Meteorite is still revealing insights into outer space decades after its discovery

Emily Driehaus | July 2, 2024

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The ‘Ultimate Honor’: Why a Colorful Mineral Honors the Smithsonian‘s Namesake

Smithsonite honors the scientific legacy of mineralogist James Smithson

Jack Tamisiea | June 18, 2024

Yellow and white lichens are pictured against a back background on a tree branch.

Meet the Smithsonian Fellow Alumni Helping to Save the Planet

This Earth Day, learn about early-career researchers who are tackling issues from green technology to lichen biodiversity and coral rehabilitation

Emma Saaty | April 22, 2024

Mars Madness: Meet the Scientist Studying the Rocky Surface of Mars

Planetary geologist Amanda Ostwald studies Martian meteorites to understand what makes Mars different from — and similar to — planet Earth

Naomi Greenberg | March 26, 2024

A man sits in front of a large, white machine and a row of computer screens in a lab setting.

Uncovering Earth's Secrets One X-ray at a Time

The National Museum of Natural History’s analytical laboratories are revolutionizing how scientists study everything from Civil War tooth fillings to Earth’s oldest rocks

Emma Saaty | January 25, 2024

NMNH in Review: How an Asteroid Sample Traveled From Outer Space to the Museum's Mineral Hall

After a 500 million mile journey, a piece of the asteroid Bennu is now on display at the Smithsonian. But how did it get here?

Ellyn Lapointe | December 27, 2023

A blue bird with white and grey spots lies against a white background.

Celebrate the Holiday Season with the Museum’s Stunning Collection of Blue Specimens

Learn how this rare hue shows up in the natural world with some of the Smithsonian’s bluest specimens

Ellyn Lapointe | December 12, 2023

A large, brown tooth sits on top of a colorful map of the California coast

Summer Summary: A Mysterious Fossil Tooth, Metallic Planet and Marine Hitchhikers

Catch up on the museum discoveries you may have missed over the past few months

Emma Saaty & Jack Tamisiea | August 29, 2023

New Museum Display Showcases the Mineral Building Blocks of Cellphones

The story behind the specimens at the center of the museum’s new exhibition “Cellphone: Unseen Connections”

Jack Tamisiea | June 28, 2023

“Endlessly Fascinating Devices”: Why the National Museum of Natural History is Exploring the Cultural Nature of Cellphones

A behind the scenes glimpse of the museum’s new exhibition, “Cellphone: Unseen Connections”

Jack Tamisiea | June 9, 2023