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A new study finds that across cultures, time and space, we consistently see more conflict as temperatures rise and rainfall becomes more erratic.

Climate Change Could Increase Armed Conflicts By 50 Percent Worldwide

A new study finds that across cultures, time and space, we consistently see more violence as temperatures rise and rainfall becomes more erratic

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Sail-Powered Ships Are Making a Comeback

New pressures have engineers turning to old ideas, and Rolls-Royce is working on a sailing ship

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Small Airplanes of the Near Future May Run on Natural Gas

In the near future, it may become both cheaper and greener to fly small planes

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The Hedgehog Is Britain’s New National Emblem

Could-be contenders - the brown hare, the little owl, the horse chestnut tree - are all invasive species in Britain, so don’t qualify as a national emblem

Mexico City And Washington, D.C., Are About Equally Safe

Mexico has its share of dangerous spots. But some parts of Mexico are just as unsafe as some parts of the United States, and some parts are safer

Pete Seeger performs at a peace rally in New York City, 1965.

Give Peace a Listen with Smithsonian Folkways Magazine

The new issue covers peace songs and spoken word from around the world

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Soap And Clean Water Make Kids Taller

By staving off childhood illnesses, basic sanitation makes children grow taller

Portrait of a young revolutionary: Friedrich Engels at age 21, in 1842, the year he moved to Manchester–and the year before he met Mary Burns.

How Friedrich Engels’ Radical Lover Helped Him Father Socialism

Mary Burns exposed the capitalist’s son to the plight of the working people of Manchester

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What Queen Elizabeth II Would Have Said If Nuclear War Started in the 1980s

Undelivered speeches give a glimpse into alternate realities that never came to pass

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Today’s Google Doodle Celebrates Maria Mitchell, America’s First Female Professional Astronomer

Today would have been Maria Mitchell’s 195th birthday, and if she were still around she’d probably celebrate it by looking at the stars

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Energy Innovation

People Had To Be Convinced of the Usefulness of Electricity

When electricity came around, it wasn’t immediately seen as a necessity

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What Caused the Death of American Brewing?

American breweries are back on the rise, after a near century long decline almost spelled their doom

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Cracking the Code of the Human Genome

Now We Know Just How Herpes Infects Human Cells

Figuring out a way to stop the viral explosion could take out not only herpes, but a whole host of other ailments

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The Skyscraper of the Future May Be Built Like Legos

The world’s cities are in the midst of a skyscraper boom. And one growing trend is to connect pre-fab floors like Lego pieces

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The Science of Champagne, the Bubbling Wine Created By Accident

There’s a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to the spirit’s trademark fizziness

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This Artist Wants to Print Out the Internet

In honor of internet activist Aaron Swartz, this artist is trying to print out the entire internet

Classic Banjo, out August 6, features tracks by the best American banjo players over the past 60 years.

Finger-pickin’ Good: American Banjo Classics

Co-producer and banjo extraordinaire Greg C. Adams talks about Classic Banjo, a collection of American tunes that show off modern banjo’s diverse roots

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VIDEO: Mantis Shrimp vs. Octopus

Watch as the popular crustacean gets snared by its predator’s tentacles. Will it survive?

A tiger in the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in India

Forest Corridors Help Link Tiger Populations in India

Some tigers trek the human-filled landscape between nature preserves to find mates, but such opportunities to ensure genetic diversity are getting rarer

New research suggests that an apple might be the safer choice for pregnant eating.

Could Over-Snacking While Pregnant Predispose Children to Be Obese?

Women who constantly binge on junk food while pregnant might pass their penchant for sweet and fatty food on to their children, a new study suggests

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