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Articles

The Boule & Bill comic by Jean Roba

Europe

How Brussels Became a Real-Life Comic Strip

The city’s colorful murals put it in the running for comic book capital of the world

Trains link the greatest of Indian cities to the humblest of rice-farmer hamlets.

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: India

Want to See More of India? Take the Indian Railway

A window on the world from a four-bunk sleeper car

Jesse Owens' coach at Ohio State, Larry Snyder, taught Owens to crouch more compactly at the starting line so that he could get a faster start.

Breaking Ground

A Sports Curator at the Smithsonian Unpacks the Myths and Reality in the Film “Race”

Jesse Owens is best known for his performance at the 1936 Berlin Games, but curator Damion Thomas says there is more to the story

Stephen Conley flies over Aliso Canyon to take measurements of methane spewing from the natural gas storage facility in Southern California in January 2016.

New Research

The Size of the California Methane Leak Isn’t the Scariest Part of the Story

The Aliso Canyon leak doubled Los Angeles’ methane emissions—and it’s just one disaster we were lucky enough to find

None

Thousands of Blacktip Sharks Are Hanging Out on Florida’s Coast Right Now

Experts say they’re not dangerous, and are easy to spot

The new Broadway hit revival of Fiddler on the Roof deliberately breaks with tradition in its opening and closing scenes.

History of Now

The Broadway Revival of “Fiddler” Offers a Profound Reaction to Today’s Refugee Crisis

Popular musicals on Broadway are regarded as escapist, but the worldwide issue of migration and displacement is inescapable

Innovators May Be Non-Conformists, But They Are Not Risk-Takers

In his new book, Wharton School professor Adam Grant looks at what really drives creativity and progress

An artist's rendering of Chicxulub, the asteroid believed to have wiped out large dinosaurs and reshaped parts of the world.

Journey to the Center of Earth

We Finally Know How Much the Dino-Killing Asteroid Reshaped Earth

The impact that wiped out large dinosaurs also dumped hundreds of feet of debris in the ocean off the Yucatán peninsula

Vans like this could help fill one of the big gaps in public transportation.

Is Bridj the Next Phase in How People Will Get Around Cities?

A project in Kansas City will see if a ride-hailing service can work with a government agency to help bring public transportation into the 21st century

The great pond snail is helping scientists make great leaps in their understanding of asymmetries in the animal kingdom.

New Research

Snail Shells Add a New Twist to the Mystery of Animal Asymmetries

After more than a century of searching, scientists have discovered a gene in snails that may control asymmetries inside many animals

Artist Suzan Shutan assembled her map of the rivers and groundwater wells of Nebraska by projecting the data on the gallery's wall.

Art Meets Science

Eight Artists Conspire About Water Issues In a New Exhibition

In Omaha, Nebraska, individuals and nonprofits unite in a show focusing on the issues of water quantity and quality

Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, circa 1787.

Why Elizabeth Hamilton Is Deserving of a Musical of Her Own

How the founding father’s wife kept their love alive in the face of tragedy

A bowl brimming with Burgundy truffles ready for analysis.

New Research

Good News, Foodies: Truffles Are Not Stuffed With Chernobyl Radiation

Unlike some mushrooms in Europe, truffles do not seem to be accumulating radiation leftover from the infamous nuclear disaster

Actor Kevin Spacey arrived at the National Portrait Gallery in character as President Frank Underwood for a "presidential" portrait unveiling.

Francis J. Underwood’s Presidential Portrait Goes On View at the Smithsonian

A portrait of actor Kevin Spacey, in his Netflix role as the world’s most devious president, proves that fiction is as good as real life

A biocube is placed in Central Park's Hallett Nature Sanctuary in New York City.

You’d Be Astounded to Learn How Much Wildlife Can Fit Into One Cubic Foot

A whole new world opens up when you try to catalog every visible creature that moves in and out of a biocube set down on either land or in water

Hamilton Hall at Columbia University

Where to Go in New York When You Can’t Get Tickets to “Hamilton”

Fans of “Hamilton” can check out these historic sites

How to Save the Monarchs? Pay Farmers to Grow Butterfly Habitats

A novel conservation effort aims to fund a habitat exchange to protect the iconic butterflies from extinction

Your Guide to Everyone’s Favorite Winter Citrus: Clementines

Seedless, sweet, easy to peel, and portable. But where did clementines come from? And what are satsumas, mandarines, and tangerines?

In the installation of Smell, The Beauty of Decay: SmellScape Central Park, designed by Sissel Tolaas, visitors touch the wall that has been painted with the special paint, releasing the scent.

Can Smell Be a Work of Art?

Scent artist Sissel Tolaas uses chemistry to explore the malodorous, yet beautiful, scent of decay in Central Park

The Pearl of Dubai is half adventure park, half marine sanctuary.

Can Underwater Resorts Actually Help Coral Reef Ecosystems?

A Los Angeles company is designing artificial reefs to boost local economies and marine habitat

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