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Established in 954 near the Italian Riviera, Seborga managed to maintain its independence because it was overlooked by the succession of rulers who took over this part of the world.

Micronations of the World

Explore these mock sovereign states fueled by local disputes, utopian idealism and the imaginations of a few eccentric individuals

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Ramadan—A Moveable Fast

According to The Breadfruit Institute at the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii, breadfruit grows in almost 90 countries.

Cooking With Breadfruit

The tropical fruit is a daily food staple in cultures where the tree grows, including Hawaii, the Caribbean and Central America

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Fresh Figs, and Bugs?

Nearly 2.5 million people come each year to Varanasi which sits on the banks of the most sacred Indian river.

The Holy City of Varanasi

Tourists and pilgrims flock to Varanasi, a sacred Hindu city on the banks of the Ganges River

Torun's many intact medieval buildings have earned it a World Heritage site designation.

The Sights and Smells of Torun

Memoirist Frances Mayes samples freshly baked gingerbread while exploring Copernicus’ hometown on a trip through Poland

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson is considered by many to be the quintessential drug-induced book of the 1970s.

Great Road Trips in American Literature

From Twain to Kerouac to Bryson, writers have found inspiration in hitting the road and traveling the United States

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Ask Smithsonian 2017

Is it Safe to Eat Off Vintage Plates?

Answers for the flea market picker

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Orville Wright Turns 137

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