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How does a bear catch a break around here?

New Research

Decades-Old Chemicals May Be Threatening Polar Bear Fertility, As If They Didn’t Have Enough to Worry About

A new study sheds light on how today’s pollutants could become tomorrow’s threats to wildlife and humans

The Best Books About Science of 2016

Take a journey to the edge of human knowledge and beyond with one of these mind-boggling page-turners

Art Meets Science

The Best “Art Meets Science” Books of 2016

Eight sumptuous books from the past year that meet at the intersection of science and art

Moana

How the Story of ‘Moana’ and Maui Holds Up Against Cultural Truths

A Smithsonian scholar and student of Pacific Island sea voyaging both loves and hates the new Disney film

With its peace accords up in the air, the Colombia's diverse ecosystems face an uncertain future. Shown here: the valley of Cocora near Salento, Colombia.

How Colombia’s Failed Peace Treaty Could Wreak Havoc on Its Diversity-Rich Ecosystems

A potential influx of legal and illegal mining leaves the country’s megadiverse landscapes—and the communities who depend on them—in jeopardy

The Best Books About Food of 2016

Looking for the perfect gift for the food lover in your life? Any of these suggestions will hit the spot

Erich Fitzgerald and Tim Ziegler with a 3D model of Alfred's skull.

New Research

The Earliest Baleen Whales Literally Sucked

No offense to toothy whale ancestors

The Robodoc married robots and computers to revolutionize the complicated task of joint replacement surgery.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

Why This Robotic Medical Device Belongs in a Museum

William Bargar and Howard “Hap” Paul revolutionized joint replacement surgery by developing a robot to do the job

Five Colossal Stone Portraits Around the World

Carved out of rock, these massive monuments go beyond Mount Rushmore

Carl Kress, performer of "Heat Wave" on Volume I, focuses absolutely on his guitar-playing.

How Countless Hours of Live Jazz Were Saved from Obscurity

The Savory Collection breathes fresh life into jazz

Left to right: Newton Poolaw (Kiowa), Jerry Poolaw (Kiowa), Elmer Thomas Buddy Saunkeah (Kiowa). Mountain View, Oklahoma, ca. 1928

A Rare Insider’s View of Native American Life in Mid-20th-Century Oklahoma

Horace Poolaw’s photography is unearthed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian

"I will never forget that you did this to me."

New Research

Dogs May Possess a Type of Memory Once Considered ‘Uniquely Human’

New research suggests that man’s best friend remembers more than we thought

Caribbean spiny lobster on a sea fan off the coast of Honduras

Proposed New Marine Reserve System Offers Rosy Outlook for Both the Lobster and the Lobster Fisherman

With the help of a supercomputer, Smithsonian scientists figure out how to help the lobster fishery off the coast of Honduras

The Romanov family between 1913 and 1914. Alexei is seated in front.

Russian Revolution

What You Need to Know First to Understand the Russian Revolution

Read this first in a series of columns chronicling what led to that 1917 cataclysm

This Isolated Australian Region Is Home to Over 100 Wineries

An Australian wine region with epic surfing beaches, a welcoming vibe and standout Cabernets and Chardonnays

The technique is sort of a combination of light microscopy, which bounces light off of objects, and electron microscopy, which bounces electrons off of objects.

A New Technique Brings Color to Electron Microscope Images of Cells

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have found a way to attach artificial color to biological structures

Don't be like this guy. Read our roundup of tips on the best ways to prevent and reduce stress during your airplane trip.

The Science of How to Fly Stress-Free Over the Holidays

From getting to the airport to avoiding lost luggage, a little research can help you have a stress-free plane trip

Still from Allied

History of Now

How Accurate Is the Movie “Allied”?

The best spies won’t leave behind an evidence trail, but then how will audiences know what’s true and what’s fiction?

Hanna Karlsson Thorén shows the difference between a young and mature oyster.

Sailing Sweden’s Icy Seas in Search of One of the World’s Best Oysters

A Nordic oyster safari serves up fresh bivalves that are hard to find outside of Sweden

The process involves speeding up the fermentation of wood sugars. The resulting alcohol is then converted into jet fuel.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

Could Wood Scraps Fuel Planes?

Alaska Airlines powered a cross-country commercial flight using a new biofuel derived from wood waste

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