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History

A scene from 1964's Dr. Strangelove

There Never Was Such a Thing as a Red Phone in the White House

Fifty years ago, still spooked by the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the U.S. and Soviet Union built a hotline. But it wasn’t a phone

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The Incredible Disappearing Evangelist

Aimee Semple McPherson was an American phenomenon even before she went missing for five weeks in 1926.

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The Desperate Would-be Housewife of New York

Not even a murder trial and the unmasking of her fake pregnancy stopped Emma Cunningham’s search for love and legitimacy

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March on Washington Artifacts from the Smithsonian Collections

A trove of documents, buttons and other memorable tokens carry the memory of the most historic day in the civil rights movement

Print. Battle of Gettysburg. AF*65353M.

The Civil War

Gettysburg Artifacts From the Smithsonian Collections

150 years after the battle, the Battle of Gettysburg still looms large over the American imagination

“Rainbow Ice” is a top selling flavor for Dippin’ Dots.

Is Dippin’ Dots Still the “Ice Cream of the Future”?

How founder and CEO Curt Jones is trying to keep the tiny ice cream beads from becoming a thing of the past

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Is Spaghetti and Meatballs Italian?

The classic dish can be found in red-and-white tablecloth spots across the United States, but there’s a fascinating history behind where it got its start

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The Story Behind the Lacoste Crocodile Shirt

A 1920s French tennis star put the little reptilian logo onto a white polo shirt

Three signature NASM space food examples from Neil Armstrong's meal allotments on the Apollo 11 mission.

Unpack a Meal of Astronaut Space Food

Space-age spaghetti and meatballs, along with other tastes of home, gave Apollo astronaut crews a boost

Zahi Hawass, shown in silhouette inspecting murals in Giza, laments the halt of many restoration projects since his departure. "Antiquities are collapsing in front of my eyes," he says.

The Rise and Fall and Rise of Zahi Hawass

The long-reigning king of Egyptian antiquities has been forced into exile—but he’s plotting a return

Ponce de León's name wasn't tied to the Fountain of Youth until 14 years after his death.

Ponce De Leon Never Searched for the Fountain of Youth

How did this myth about the Spanish explorer even get its start?

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The Paleofuture Blog Has Moved to Gizmodo

Our intrepid blogger bids farewell

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We Have Texas to Thank for the Biggest Big Gulp

The story behind the super sized soda cup in 7-Eleven stores and how it changed soft drinks forever.

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The Trial That Gave Vodou A Bad Name

An 1864 case that ended with the execution of eight Haitians for child murder and cannibalism has helped define attitudes toward the nation and the religion ever since

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The History of the Frozen Banana Stand

The chocolate-covered dessert was the rock of the Bluth family empire. But where did the idea come from?

This painting depicts two Frenchmen looking shocked upon seeing four American soldiers lift a 40-ton tank.

When an Army of Artists Fooled Hitler

A new documentary shares the story of the 23rd unit’s daring deceptions

Galaxy M106 as captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.

How Edwin Hubble Became the 20th Century’s Greatest Astronomer

The young scientist demolished the old guard’s ideas on the nature and size of the universe

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Where’d You Get Those Creepers?

The platform-soled, punk-style shoes have celebrated the ‘Teddy Boy’ spirit since the late 1940s

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The National Automated Highway System That Almost Was

In 1991, Congress authorized $650 million to develop the technology that would make driverless cars a reality

Cover of the 1982 book Omni Future Almanac

$18 for a Dozen Eggs by 2010? Inflation Fears in 1982

The Omni Future Almanac predicted that a gallon of gas would be cheaper than a quart of milk

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