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Articles

In this artistic reconstruction, a pod of Albicetus travel together through the Miocene Pacific Ocean, surfacing occasionally to breathe.

A Moby-Dick Emerges from the Smithsonian Collections

The rediscovery of a fossil whale, previously believed to be an extinct walrus, is reexamined and digitized

The first Christmas Card

The History of the Christmas Card

Borne out of having too little time, the holiday greeting has boomed into a major industry

David Rubenstein of The Carlyle Group and Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway preview the “Giving in America" display at the National Museum of American History.

The Day a Bunch of Billionaires Stopped by the Smithsonian

A new effort to study the history of philanthropy is announced and a number of significant charitable contributions are recognized

Lake Titicaca in myth is the birthplace of humanity, and the people who live on its shores depend on it for their livelihoods.

Age of Humans

What Are North American Trout Doing in Lake Titicaca?

The famous lake between Bolivia and Peru is struggling due to pollution, overfishing and the misguided intentions of almost 100 years ago

None

The ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ Special Was the Flop That Wasn’t

In 1965, CBS gambled big on an animated spectacular that’s now become a holiday tradition

Smart Startup

College Football Fans, Here Is a Vacation Rental Site for You

Looking for lodging near Penn State? How about Ole Miss? Notre Dame alum Mike Doyle wants you to “Rent Like a Champion”

The Museum of Feelings can pretty much be summed up by this photo.

Fear and Loathing at the Museum of Feelings

Can a corporate marketing stunt fulfill the raised expectations of a “museum”?

A German cockroach in a moment of solitude.

New Research

The Scent of Their Own Poop Entices Cockroaches to Congregate

Gut microbes imbue German cockroach feces with scents that allow them to find kindred groups

The 14-foot holiday tree at The Corning Museum of Glass contains 2,000 glass ornaments made by a team of glassmakers.

This One-of-a-Kind Christmas Tree Is Made of 2,000 Handmade Glass Ornaments

The Corning Museum in New York has a glittering holiday tradition of its own

A gibbous moon shines over a large petrified log embedded in the sandstone at Blue Mesa in Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park.

Protecting Arizona’s Petrified Forest Can Be as Easy as Taking a Hike

After dispelling myths about vandals and thieves, rangers are working to make this national park more open and engaging

The mockup of a Heat Harvest-enabled table

One Day, Your Cup of Coffee Could Charge Your Phone

A pair of students has proposed the idea of embedding furniture with pads to absorb latent heat and convert it into electricity

A floating platform in Skadar Lake entices pelicans to build their nests here, protecting them from floods.

Age of Humans

How Floating Nests May Save One of the World’s Largest Water Birds

Designed to withstand floods, the rafts are helping the Dalmatian pelican make a comeback in Montenegro and Albania

Installing the RFID tags

This Danish City is Giving Bikers the Green Light

In a pilot program underway in Aarhus, Denmark, cyclists are given RFID tags that trigger traffic lights in their favor

The ruins of an ancient Norse settlement still stand near Hvalsey Fjord in Greenland.

New Research

Did Climate Change Make the Norse Disappear From Greenland?

Evidence from glacial deposits adds a new twist to the tale of the mysterious lost settlements

A man dressed in a traditional Perchten costume and mask performs during a Perchten festival in the western Austrian village of Kappl, November 13, 2015. Each year in November and January, people in the western Austria regions dress up in Perchten (also known in some regions as Krampus or Tuifl) costumes and parade through the streets to perform a 1,500 year-old pagan ritual to disperse the ghosts of winter.

Austria

The Origin of Krampus, Europe’s Evil Twist on Santa

The mythical holiday beast is once again on the prowl, but beware, he’s making his way across the Atlantic

Water gushes out of Aswan Dam in Egypt.

Age of Humans

Humans Are Draining Even More of Earth’s Freshwater Than We Thought

Ironically, building dams and irrigation systems may end up driving food and water shortages

A Brief History of Sending a Letter to Santa

Dating back more than 150 years, the practice of writing to St. Nick tells a broader history of America itself

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