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A parachute belonging to Broadwick is on display in the Early Flight gallery at the Smithsonian’s newly updated National Air and Space Museum. 

Pioneering Teenage Parachuter Georgia ‘Tiny’ Broadwick Showed That Courage Isn’t Counted in Pounds

The first woman to parachute from an airplane, she will be recognized in an exhibit when part of the newly renovated National Air and Space Museum reopens this year

Connections between the natural world, the divine and the erotic were a favorite theme for Colquhoun, who described Earth Process, 1940, as an “image from a half-conscious experience.”

A New Exhibition Brings Fresh Recognition to a Groundbreaking But Largely Forgotten Surrealist

At London’s Tate Britain, a major retrospective takes a long look at the work of Ithell Colquhoun

Vanilla producer Bertrand Côme displays bound and dried vanilla beans for sale at his Réunion farm. The beans generally grow as long as 6 to 11 inches.

The Bittersweet Beginnings of Vanilla Cultivation Can Be Traced Back to the Far-Flung Isle of Réunion

A journey to the remote Indian Ocean island reveals the story behind the fragrant, delicious, ubiquitous spice—and the enslaved youth who made it a commercial success

This volleyball-looking device is one of the glass flasks that Charles D. Keeling and others used to transport samples of atmosphere from Mauna Loa and beyond to a laboratory for precise analysis.

This Simple but Ingenious Instrument Helped the World Measure Carbon Dioxide Levels in the Atmosphere

Scientist Charles Keeling’s invention had a profound effect on scientists’ understanding of the severity of the climate change crisis

A seal catches a salmon off the coast of Washington State. Scientists are working to determine how much salmon the seals eat.

Salmon in the Pacific Northwest Are Facing a New Threat: Booming Populations of Seals and Sea Lions

The mammals’ return to the region represented a conservation success story, but their appetite for endangered fish is upsetting the balance of a delicate ecosystem

The Grand Ole Opry’s famous six-foot circle of wood was carefully carved from the previous stage at the Ryman Auditorium.

How the Grand Ole Opry Put Uniquely American Music at Center Stage

Through daring business decisions and an eye for talent, the vaunted country radio program still stands as a tastemaker for the fastest-growing genre in popular music

Ever since its departure from England exactly 180 years ago, on May 19, 1845, the Franklin expedition has captivated the public’s imagination.

The Shipwrecks From John Franklin’s Doomed Arctic Expedition Were Exactly Where the Inuit Said They Would Be

In May 1845, 129 British officers and crew members set out in search of the Northwest Passage on HMS “Erebus” and HMS “Terror.” None returned

Geologist Michael Ackerson holds a sample from Canada's Acasta Gneiss formation, home to some of the oldest rocks on the planet.

The Secrets of How Life Began May Be Hidden Inside the World’s Oldest Rocks

Smithsonian researchers trekked to a remote site in northern Canada to collect four-billion-year-old rock samples that could unlock mysteries about Earth’s earliest history

New research is revealing how climate change is impacting our eyes.

Climate Change Is Threatening Eye Health in Disturbing Ways

Cataracts, pinkeye and other ocular disorders are linked to heat, air pollution and higher UV exposure

The last operating Woolworth lunch counter, in Bakersfield, California, seen in the 1990s.

The Last Operating Woolworth’s Lunch Counter Will Be Up and Running Once Again in California

A neighborhood icon, the Bakersfield luncheonette will mix modern design touches with classic decor

The Blomberg’s tree boa was recently documented in southwestern Colombia for the first time, even as it loses habitat in the nearby rainforests of Ecuador.

This Elusive Snake’s Habitat Is Under Threat in Ecuador. Here’s How Conservationists Are Fighting Back

How do you protect an endangered serpent with a special talent for hiding in plain sight?

Piercing eyes mesmerize through the bright hues of this artwork that decorates a wall in the port area of Rio de Janeiro.

These 15 Mind-Bending Murals Turn the Mundane Into the Memorable

See 15 images of superb street art from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

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There's More to That

The Joys of Discovering the Roman Underground, From the Colosseum to What’s Beneath the Trevi Foundation

To escape the crowds of the Eternal City, head below ground and enter a portal into Rome’s past

Whatever happend to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's tradition of fireside chats?

What Happened to FDR’s Fireside Chats? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

A jar made by H. Wilson & Company in Capote, Texas. Right, the muddy banks of Salt Creek, a tributary of the Guadalupe River about 50 miles northeast of San Antonio, where Wilson’s pottery company sourced its fine red clay. 

Three Formerly Enslaved Artists Created Beautiful Pottery 150 Years Ago, and Now Their Wares Are Coveted Around the World

The stunning vessels from the H. Wilson & Company were forgotten for generations, only to gain new appreciation for the craftsmanship that went into them

In the early morning hours in Hanoi, people walk and jog around Hoan Kiem Lake's one-mile loop, while others partake in activities like traditional Vietnamese fan dancing, tai chi and even tango lessons.

To Truly Experience These Five Cities, Wake Before Sunrise

Everyone focuses on a destination’s nightlife, but perhaps we should be more concerned with what its early morning hours have to offer

A shaft of golden light from the cave’s mouth provides warmth as the expedition’s scientists enjoy lunch 80 feet below the opening of Natural Trap Cave.

Rooted in the American West: Food, History and Culture

A Trove of Ice Age Fossils Buried in a Wyoming Cave Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Prehistoric Animals

At a site known as Natural Trap Cave, a team of scientists are rappelling down to uncover the secrets of what the Earth was like during the Pleistocene

The story of the descendants of Wong On offers a multi-faceted look at the intersection of the African American and Chinese immigrant communities.

The Real History of the Complex Relationship Between Chinese and Black Americans in the Mississippi Delta

The remarkable success of the movie “Sinners” has sparked a renewed interest in how the two communities wrestled with life under Jim Crow

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Amaze Yourself With the Unbelievable Story of Bessie Coleman, the Black Aviator Who Wowed the Nation With Her High-Flying Achievements

Long before the Tuskegee Airmen, Coleman inspired a generation of pilots to take to the skies

Made of wood and leather, this artificial toe, found in an ancient Egyptian tomb affixed to a noblewoman, is the oldest known prosthetic appendage.

The Innovative History of the Artificial Limb Stretches as Far Back as Ancient Egypt

Today, the technology has come so far that anyone with a 3D printer can create highly engineered and artful prostheses

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