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J. Ralph (left) and Sting (right), the night's honorees. Visible in the foreground is Sting's 1978 Stratocaster guitar, which is now a part of the Smithsonian collections.

Acclaimed Musicians Sting and J. Ralph Spread Social Justice Through Song

The Smithsonian honors two composers whose work and philanthropy are inextricably linked

Yes, oysters can get herpes.

Oysters Can Get Herpes, And It’s Killing Them

A deadly virus threatens to decimate oyster populations around the world

The smart bin prototype

The Innovative Spirit fy17

A Smart Recycling Bin Could Sort Your Waste for You

It’s sometimes difficult to know where to put different types of plastic, but computer vision could remove any confusion

Developers are breathing new life into indoor shopping malls.

The Transformation of the American Shopping Mall

Headlines claim malls are dying, and some are. But many others are having second lives as churches, schools, hospitals, even farms

Aerial view of Pennsylvania Station

Five Architects on the One Building They Wish Had Been Preserved

From an elegant solution to urban density to a magnificent financial hub

In Charlottesville, Virginia, city workers drape a tarp over the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Emancipation park to symbolize the city's mourning for Heather Heyer, killed while protesting a white nationalist rally in August.

Commentary

We Legitimize the ‘So-Called’ Confederacy With Our Vocabulary, and That’s a Problem

Tearing down monuments is only the beginning to understanding the false narrative of Jim Crow

Despite the predicted declines, at least five species of bees would survive in areas that would still be suitable for growing coffee, says the new study.

With Smart Planning, Coffee and Bees Can Survive Climate Change

In a new study, a Smithsonian scientist says coffee-growers have options

A new startup is making it easy for customers to shop their local family farmers—right from their homes.

New Startup WildKale Lets Farmers Sell Directly to Customers Through an App

Yes, it’s like “Uber for farmer’s markets.”

Jane Austen on the new £10 note.

The Jane Austen £10 Note Extends the “Ladylike” History of British Money

The beloved novelist is the latest icon in the Bank of England’s long—and fraught—tradition of gendering finance

Koalas eat 200 to 500 grams of eucalyptus a day. So when all shipping routes go down, what's an animal nutritionist to do?

When Disaster Strikes, the Zoo Must Go On

Zoo nutritionists have the Herculean task of feeding thousands of charges, come hurricane, tornado or terrorist attack

Damai's son will be named at the San Diego Zoo following a period of consultation with his original caretakers. A Sumatran tiger, the little guy is an important member of an endangered species.

Baby Tiger Travels by Southwest Jet, in Search of a Better Life in San Diego

Incompatible with his birthmother, a National Zoo cub seeks friendship in San Diego

"The Kiss in the Field," 1943 woodcut printed in red-brown with watercolor on wove paper

Did Edvard Munch Find a Supernatural Power in Color?

A new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art places Munch’s palette in context

The replica (left) and original were first displayed together at the 2012 clan conference in Sitka, Alaska.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

This Replica of a Tlingit Killer Whale Hat Is Spurring Dialogue About Digitization

Collaboration between museums and indigenous groups provides educational opportunities, archival documentation—and ethical dilemmas

Sandwiches ready for tasting at Feast Portland.

12 of the Best Food Festivals Happening This Fall

Where to eat, drink and play across the U.S. this autumn

This resplendent Tibetan shrine room will greet visitors to the Sackler Gallery's upcoming "Encountering the Buddha" exhibition.

From Egyptian Cats to Crime Scenes, Here’s a Preview of the Smithsonian’s Upcoming Shows

Gallery-goers in D.C. and NYC are in for a mental workout with shows that deliver on everything from the experimental to the traditional

Rebecca Richards-Kortum was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow of 2016.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

The Professor With a Genius For Global Health

Rebecca Richards-Kortum and her students at Rice University are designing low-cost devices that can help mothers and babies in a big way

We hear a lot about the over-extraction of oil, but less about the consequences of the sand trade.

New Research

The World is Running Out of Sand

The little-known exploitation of this seemingly infinite resource could wreak political and environmental havoc

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