Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Articles

Eating disorders affect hundreds of millions around the world and are dominated by negative thoughts and behaviors around food, eating, weight and body shape. Current research reveals the best evidence-based psychological therapies and some new avenues for treatments.

The Future of Mental Health

The Search for a Better Treatment for Eating Disorders

Cognitive behavioral therapy is working well for some, but scientists are seeking new innovations to help people with anorexia, bulimia and binge eating

A 1918 photo of a Christmas tree for horses in Washington, D.C.

When Humane Societies Threw Christmas Parties for Horses

Held across the U.S. in the early 20th century, the events sought to raise awareness for poor living conditions and offer the animals a holiday respite

A fifth century B.C.E. diadem, or headband, from Colchis, in the southern Caucasus.

Why This Ancient Civilization Fell Out of Love With Gold for 700 Years

Analysis of 4,500 artifacts suggests an early society between the Black and Caspian Seas turned against bling

The Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan is an art museum housed in a former factory of train parts and farm equipment.

Six Art Galleries in Unexpected Places

Around the world, factories, distilleries and bunkers have second lives as art venues

The 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life stars James Stewart as down-on-his-luck George Bailey and Donna Reed as his wife, Mary.

What ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Teaches Us About American History

The Christmas classic, released 75 years ago, conveys many messages beyond having faith in one another

Parts of Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off British Columbia’s north coast, remained ice free throughout the last ice age. Archaeological investigations of just a few of the islands’ many caves have revealed a trove of surprising finds.

Archaeologists Discover Oldest Domesticated Dog Remains in Americas

Exciting secrets unearthed on Haida Gwaii include a canine tooth, roughly 11,000-year-old stone tools and the tantalizing signs of far more to come

Learn about Gullah Geechee staples, incredible festivals around the world and the future of food in our top picks of the year.

The Best Books of 2021

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2021

From cookbooks to a memoir to a guide to hundreds of food adventures across the globe, these new titles will leave you satisfied

The author of a penetrating new book, documenting the multi-layered complexities of the Miss America pageant (above: 1921, Atlantic City), writes about the contest's ongoing battle to remain relevant over its century of historic highs and lows.

How the Swimsuit Showdown Shaped the Miss America Contest

A new behind-the-scenes book, “There She Was,” and a Smithsonian collecting initiative celebrate the pageant’s centennial

Over the course of our planet’s history, major impacts by comets and asteroids are plentiful.

The Very Real Effort to Track Killer Asteroids and Comets

In “Don’t Look Up,” researchers warn authorities about a comet hurtling towards Earth. Such a scenario isn’t just science fiction

Being the Ricardos features Nicole Kidman (left) as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem (right) as Desi Arnaz.

Based on a True Story

The True History Behind ‘Being the Ricardos’

Aaron Sorkin’s new film dramatizes three pivotal moments in the lives of comedy legends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz

Infants exposed to their mother’s scent during interactions with strangers were more relaxed, smiled more and made more eye contact.

Smelling Moms’ Scent May Help Infants Bond With Strangers

Even if the mother isn’t around, traces of her body odor on clothing may increase a child’s trust and comfort with others

Drum roll, please.

The Best Books of 2021

The Ten Best Children’s Books of 2021

These top titles deliver amazing facts, fresh rhymes and important life lessons

None

The Best Books of 2021

The Ten Best Photography Books of 2021

In year two of the pandemic, our favorite titles invite us into worlds outside our own

The original Japanese packaging emphasized English characters over Japanese ones.

How Cup Noodles Became the Instant Ramen for Americans

Released in Japan 50 years ago, the portable meal proved to be one of the biggest transpacific business success stories of all time

In our efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge, we highly recommend these 87 titles this year.

The Best Books of 2021

The Best Books of 2021

In our efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge, we highly recommend these 57 titles this year

Elon Musk, after securing a $2.9 billion NASA contract for SpaceX, recently hosted an episode of “Saturday Night Live.”

The Return of America’s Celebrity Inventor

In a new book, Smithsonian historian Eric S. Hintz traces the rise and fall, and rise again, of the maverick inventor

None

The Best Books of 2021

The Ten Best Science Books of 2021

From captivating memoirs by researchers to illuminating narratives by veteran science journalists, these works affected us the most this year

A squid swims in the dark waters of the Mediterranean. Billions of aquatic animals, from krill to squid, travel to surface waters each night, a migration that scientists are only beginning to fully grasp.

What Drives Aquatic Animals to Make Vertical Migrations?

Researchers are trying to shed light on what leads many water dwellers—from plankton to large fish—to commute daily from the depths to the surface

The capsized hull of the U.S.S. Oklahoma (right) is visible next to the U.S.S. Maryland.

The Story Behind Pearl Harbor’s Most Successful Rescue Mission

Eighty years ago, civilian Julio DeCastro and his colleagues at the Hawaii base’s naval yard saved 32 sailors trapped inside the U.S.S. “Oklahoma”

"There isn't a Christmas that goes by that I don't sing 'Oh Holy Night,'" says Irma Thomas (above: in 2019 at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival) "If you listen to all the verses, it tells a beautiful story."

Irma Thomas’ Rendition of ‘O Holy Night’ Is a Marvel From Beginning to End

Soulful Christmas music is an obsession for Bill Adler, so he interviewed the singer of one of his favorite songs

Page 139 of 1322