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Paratype of Florida's rare blue calamintha bee (male)

Blue Bee Feared to Be Extinct Is Found in Florida

First discovered in 2011, the rare species reappeared recently after nearly a decade of eluding scientists’ watch

Two men wearing U. S. Army uniforms, including Major George S. Roberts (on left), June 22, 1944

These Photos Capture the Lives of African American Soldiers Who Served During World War II

Pittsburgh photographer Teenie Harris focused on the patriotism of men who fought for the country abroad while being discriminated against at home

Pac-Man became one of the first video games to broaden the medium’s appeal in both the U.S. and Japan.

Why Players Around the World Gobbled Up Pac-Man

Born 40 years ago, the hungry little critter turned women and children into gamers, changing the industry forever

The Asian Giant Hornet, Vespa mandarinia, can grow up to two inches long and is a species not native to North America. The National Insect Collection, co-curated by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), houses one of the first specimens collected in North America

Smithsonian Voices

Here’s Why the Invasive Asian Giant Hornet’s Identification Is Actually a Scientific Success Story

Notorious ‘Murder’ hornet finds home in Smithsonian collections

Mayor Davie was tossed into jail for refusing to wear a mask.

Covid-19

In 1919, the Mayor of Oakland Was Arrested for Failing to Wear a Mask

John L. Davie was a larger-than-life politician, but during the influenza pandemic, even he wasn’t above the law

The Covid-19 pandemic has skyrocketed the demand for new strains of mice to help scientists understand the progression of the disease, test existing drugs, find new therapeutic targets and develop vaccines.

Covid-19

Building a Mouse Squad Against COVID-19

A Maine laboratory is on the verge of supplying a much-needed animal for SARS-CoV-2 research

The 1966-1967 sculpture, Warrior's Leg by Paul Thek, depicts with startling realism, the calf and foot of a soldier from the age of the Roman Empire, hacked off at the knee.

A Sculptor’s Provocative Memorial Acknowledges the High Cost of Conflict

Paul Thek’s haunting sculpture looks beyond the pomp of traditional battle memorials

Smithsonian curator Emil Her Many Horses, an artist trained both in traditional beadwork and in doll-making, created a commemorative tableau featuring miniature figures of Vietnam-era veterans and the tribal women who welcomed them home with ceremonies.

This Artwork Recognizes the Sacrifices Made by Native American Soldiers in Vietnam

Taking ‘Best in Show’ at the Northern Plains Tribal Art Show, the 2002 beadwork tableau is held in the collections of the American Indian Museum

The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, founded in 1997, is one of the many festivals streaming offerings this year.

Virtual Travel

Eight Film Festivals Worth Attending (Virtually)

COVID-19 has caused numerous film festival cancellations. Luckily, these ones moved online

“Footprints give us information about anatomy and group dynamics that you just can’t get from bones,” says the Smithsonian's Briana Pobiner.

Ancient Toes and Soles of Fossilized Footprints Now 3-D Digitized for the Ages

New research suggests that for the prehistoric foragers that walked this path, labor was divided between men and women

Could 2020 be America's Year of the Bidet?

Covid-19

The Bottom Line About Bidets

Amid toilet paper shortages, many Americans are making the switch—but does all the fuss about bidets really hold water?

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Word Puzzles

Word Search: Find the President

Given the years they served, find the last names of the U.S. presidents in the grid below

Warren Harding and First Lady Florence Harding watching a horse show the year he became president.

Commentary

Warren Harding Tried to Return America to ‘Normalcy’ After WWI and the 1918 Pandemic. It Failed.

The lessons from his presidency show that a quick retreat to the past can be just a mirage

President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.

The 1924 Law That Slammed the Door on Immigrants and the Politicians Who Pushed it Back Open

Decades of xenophobic policy were overturned, setting the United States on the path to the diversity seen today

Mount St. Helens in 2018

Smithsonian Voices

Forty Years After Mount St. Helens, Scientists Make Tiny Eruptions to Study Volcanoes

Meet the Smithsonian scientist who makes and studies tiny volcanic eruptions

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Word Puzzles

Play the Smithsonian Magazine Crossword: Maryland state birds: 10 letters

Test your mettle with this puzzle created exclusively for ‘Smithsonian’ readers

New fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls with writing visible.

Text Found on Supposedly Blank Dead Sea Scroll Fragments

Invisible to the naked eye, researchers revealed lines of ancient script in new photographs

In a normal year, about 40,000 people travel to Kearney between March and April to join popular crane festivals. But on March 13, Rowe Sanctuary shut down due to the spread of COVID-19, canceling its tours and closing all trails.

Covid-19

How COVID-19 Is Disrupting Crucial Conservation Efforts

Researchers behind habitat restoration and wildlife protection groups are struggling to continue work amid the pandemic

Michael Jordan, says Smithsonian sports curator Damion Thomas, "had a singular ability that distinguished him from all the other incredibly talented basketball players that always come to mind."

A Smithsonian Curator Reevaluates the Incredible Legacy of Michael Jordan

Historian Damion Thomas speaks about what made the NBA All-Star ‘brilliant’

How can the right kind of farming protect our soils and our climate? Find out in Carbon Cowboys. © 2020, carbon nation.

Smithsonian Voices

Saving Our Planet Starts With the Soil

A new documentary ‘carbon cowboys’ by Peter Byck brings to light a host of farmers promoting soil health as a great business plan

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