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Amateur photographer Paul Goresh (left) is shown here with former Beatle John Lennon. Goresh, who describes himself as a life-long fan of Lennon, took the last photo of the rock star when he was alive.

What Happened on John Lennon’s Last Day

The former Beatle had a packed schedule as he finalized a new song and posed for some final photographs that would become iconic

This year's top ten titles explore the cosmos, fear and cleanliness alongside narratives about owls, fish and eels.

The Ten Best Science Books of 2020

New titles explore the mysterious lives of eels, the science of fear and our connections to the stars

Each year, Purdue University’s INSPIRE Research Institute for Pre-College Engineering turns into a toy testing laboratory.

The Ten Best STEM Toys to Give as Gifts in 2020

Tested and reviewed by engineers, these top picks make coding, robotics and engineering more accessible than ever

Grounded travelers, be thankful for these travel books released in 2020.

Holiday Gift Guide

The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2020

In a year of travel restrictions, these titles helped us channel our wanderlust

Papahānaumokuākea fosters reefs inhabited solely by species found nowhere else in the world, the only known marine area where all species are endemic.

Why National Marine Sanctuaries Are Another of America’s Best Ideas

Chart the waters of America’s 14 aquatic sanctuaries in this new offering from Smithsonian Books

Learn about the underbelly of your neighborhood supermarket, 100-plus uses for beans and more in this year's top food books.

Holiday Gift Guide

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2020

From cookbooks to grocery-store exposés, these new books will tempt palates and fuel curiosity

Regular dust bathing keeps the wild turkey's iridescent feathers in top condition.

View Amazing Photos and Video of a Turkey Dust Bathing

A New York photographer captured stunning footage of this captivating behavior in her backyard

“The P-47 was one of the most versatile aircraft we had in World War II,” says Jeremy Kinney, curator and chair of the aeronautics department at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, which houses one in its collections.

Why the P-47 Thunderbolt, a World War II Beast of the Airways, Ruled the Skies

Remarkably tough, the versatile fighter delivered far more punishment than it took

This popular painting of "The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth" by Jennie A. Brownscombe is an example of how the myths of the holiday became engrained in Americana.

Why the Myths of Plymouth Dominate the American Imagination

A new book shows us a different picture of the English settlers who arrived at the lands of the Wampanoag

Once a thriving international trade hub, the archeological site of Hegra (also known as Mada'in Saleh) has been left practically undisturbed for almost 2,000 years.

Hegra, an Ancient City in Saudi Arabia Untouched for Millennia, Makes Its Public Debut

The archaeological site, now open to tourists, offers clues about the mysterious empire that built it and its more famous sister city of Petra in Jordan

The 74-day clash found Argentina and the United Kingdom battling for control of the Falkland Islands, an archipelago in the South Atlantic.

Based on a True Story

A Brief History of the Falklands War

The latest season of Netflix’s “The Crown” dramatizes the 1982 clash between Argentina and the United Kingdom

The cub's new name is Xiao Qi Ji (SHIAU-chi-ji), or "little miracle."

Pandamonium

The National Zoo Reveals Its New Panda Cub’s Name

Members of the public voted to name the three-month-old cub Xiao Qi Ji, or “little miracle”

"Engaged philanthropy is vital to democracy," writes Smithsonian scholar Amanda B. Moniz, who studies the history of giving in America. Above: charity workers bring groceries to those isolating with symptoms of Covid-19.

The Storied History of Giving in America

Throughout American history, philanthropy has involved the offering of time, money and moral concern to benefit others, but it carries a complicated legacy

According to the World Health Organization, some 42 "candidate vaccines" against the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 are undergoing clinical trials.

Covid-19

What Is the Best Strategy to Deploy a Covid-19 Vaccine?

Mathematicians are modeling different scenarios for a vaccine rollout to see what may work best

Writer and photographer Paul Koudounaris' new book, A Cat's Tale, finds his pet kitty, Baba, channeling famous and little-known felines from history.

A History of Felines, as Narrated and Illustrated by a Cat

Baba the cat is both storyteller and photographic model in what is perhaps the most unique cat history book ever published

A white cloud floats over the top of Mount Everest at dusk.

Into Thicker Air and Onto Thinner Ice: How Climate Change Is Affecting Mount Everest

Researchers have documented that the high-altitude air is gaining more oxygen and large glaciers are melting at rapid rates

The F/A-18C Hornet is ready to be exhibited, in near-perfect condition even after being put through a myriad of maneuvers with the Blue Angels: rolls, dives, loops, tight formations and synchronized passes, which did cause some wear and tear to the plane’s surface.

A Special Air Delivery From the U.S. Navy Arrives With Only a Few Dings

An F/A-18C Blue Angels Hornet just flew into D.C. to make its debut as a museum artifact at the National Air and Space Museum

Smithsonian locations closing November 23, 2020 include: The National Zoo, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Renwick Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery and the Udvar-Hazy Center.

Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo to Close Due to Increased Cases of Covid-19

In an official statement, the Institution announced a temporary closing of all its public facilities beginning November 23

A new exhibition "Every Eye Is Upon Me: First Ladies of the United States" is on view at the National Portrait Gallery; clockwise from top left: Mamie Eisenhower, Lady Bird Johnson, Grace Coolidge, Nancy Reagan, Dolley Madison, Abigail Fillmore, Frances Cleveland and Sarah Polk.

How History Records the Peculiar Role of America’s First Ladies

A new exhibition, “Every Eye is Upon Me,” pays tribute to the ever-changing role of the women who hold this unelected office

Waimea Bay takes its name from the Hawaiian word for "reddish-brown waters."

What the Survival of the Hawaiian Language Means to Those Who Speak It

A Smithsonian curator recalls his own experience learning the native tongue

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