Articles

Maverick Music Takes Center Stage in This New Play on Nina Simone

A Smithsonian expert delves into the song and struggle at the heart of ‘Four Women’ at D.C.’s Arena Stage

November 30, 2017

Is There Humanity to Be Found Within Serial Killers?

A new book tells the complex stories behind murderous women, the so-called “femmes fatales.”

November 30, 2017

Future of Energy

The Things People Do To Foil Energy-Saving Buildings

New research on how occupants inhabit energy-efficient buildings reveals behaviors designers don’t anticipate—and a slew of bloopers

November 29, 2017

Women Who Shaped History

During World War II, Thousands of Women Chased Their Own California Dream

For some who moved west for work, this dream was temporary. For others, it lasted a lifetime

November 29, 2017

Revive the Charm of an 1800s Show with These Modern-Day Flea Circuses

Take a trip to the (very small) Big Top

November 29, 2017

Gulliver’s Travels Wasn’t Meant to Be a Children’s Book And More Things You Didn’t Know About the Literary Classic

Even now, 350 years after his birth, the great Irish satirist Jonathan Swift remains as sharp and relevant as ever

November 28, 2017

A Trip Inspired by ‘Murder on the Orient Express’

On the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the murder mystery is not included

November 28, 2017

American Ingenuity Awards

Why Jony Ive Is Apple’s Design Genius

His work has become the seeds of a tech revolution that is rapidly changing our lives

December 2017

American Ingenuity Awards

Marley Dias’ Inspirational Goal to Collect Books About Girls of Color

What can we learn from a 12-year-old who’s turning the literary world upside down? Everything

December 2017

American Ingenuity Awards

A Neurosurgeon’s Remarkable Plan to Treat Stroke Victims With Stem Cells

Gary Steinberg defied convention when he began implanting living cells inside the brains of patients who had suffered from a stroke

December 2017

American Ingenuity Awards

Meet Natalie Batalha, the Explorer Who’s Searching for Planets Across the Universe

The Kepler mission’s project scientist, she has guided the discovery of thousands of planets

December 2017

American Ingenuity Awards

Ava DuVernay’s Visionary Filmmaking Is Reshaping Hollywood

Her eye for American history puts her in the vanguard. Her passion for justice makes her a hero

December 2017

American Ingenuity Awards

These Shooting Stars of Broadway Staged the Impossible: A Musical About ‘War and Peace’

Dave Malloy and Rachel Chavkin brought the Tolstoy epic to life with Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

December 2017

American Ingenuity Awards

What Makes John Legend America’s Most Versatile Artist

Songwriter, singer, actor, producer, virtual reality maven. John Legend is an entertainment all-star

December 2017

American Ingenuity Awards

Why the Team Behind Sesame Street Created a Character With Autism

The bravest new face on television is a Muppet that doesn’t say much. But she speaks volumes about life on the spectrum

December 2017

Can an Algorithm Diagnose Pneumonia?

Stanford researchers claim they can detect the lung infection more accurately than an experienced radiologist. Some radiologists aren’t so sure.

November 28, 2017

The Ten Best Photography Books of 2017

These eye-opening works invite us to find ourselves in history and nature

November 28, 2017

Mark Bradford’s Paintings Scratch at the Surface of a Conflicted America

The Hirshhorn Museum hosts the artist’s first solo show in Washington

November 28, 2017