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Not officially on the guest list for Richard Nixon’s 1973 inaugural ball, this chicken decided to check out the scene anyway. Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Inauguration History

That Time a Chicken Crashed Nixon’s Inaugural Ball and Other Crazy Inaugural Tales

Ten quirky moments from inaugural history, including presidential lassoing

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What to Eat—or Not—in Peru

The ceviche carts and meat grills are colorful pieces of scenery, but eating a cherimoya or a sweet and starchy lucuma could be the truest taste of Peru

According to Guerlain, the bottle is inspired by a 19th century medicine jar with a stopper shaped like a champagne cork, intended to evoke movement and celebration – “a clever nod to parties and the sparkling woman who wears the fragrance.”

Jicky, the First Modern Perfume

Tfirst fragrance to incorporate synthetic ingredients and natural extracts, making it one of the most significant perfumes in the history of scent design

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Researchers Discover New Method of Barnacle Sex

Upending 150 years of theory, scientists observed that some barnacles can capture sperm from the water for reproduction

The HapiFork wants to make you less piggish.

Can a Buzzing Fork Make You Lose Weight?

HapiFork, a utensil that slows down your eating, is one of a new wave of gadgets designed to help you take control of your health

Japanese taiko drumming, one of a panoply of performances from cultures around the world at this weekend’s Multicultural Festival.

Events January 18-20: A Multicultural Festival, the Voices of Emancipation and the Smithsonian Staff’s Best Photos

This week, travel around the world in one museum, celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation and see the world through the Smithsonian staff's eyes

As part of a new study, shore crabs that were given a mild electrical shock responded in a way indicating they felt pain.

New Study Suggests Crabs Can Feel Pain After All

Most of us assume that crustaceans can't feel pain—but new research suggests otherwise

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Plants Flower Nearly a Month Earlier Than They Did A Century Ago

In 2012, many plants in the eastern U.S. flowered earlier than in any other year on record

Coal-fired stoves are a major source of black carbon.

Black Carbon May Contribute Almost as Much as Carbon Dioxide to Global Warming

Black carbon's role in driving warming is much higher than previously thought

The six men line up before the parade begins.

Inauguration History

Who Were the Six Native American Chiefs in Teddy Roosevelt’s Inaugural Parade?

Another inauguration, another opportunity to learn more about the men whose presence shocked the country

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Brits Are Allowed To Insult Each Other Once More

For the past 27 years, it's been against the law for Brits to insult each other

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War and Peace of Mind for Ulysses S. Grant

With the help of his friend Mark Twain, Grant finished his memoirs—and saved his wife from an impoverished widowhood—just days before he died

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How to Win Inauguration Weekend: There’s an App for That

One man won the election, but with free tours and insider information, you can still win the weekend. Plus hours, eating spots and where to rest your feet

The unmanned Global Hawk will conduct NASA’s first climate change research in the stratosphere.

NASA Drones to Study Stratosphere for Climate Change Clues

On Friday, the agency will send an unmanned aircraft 65,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean to gather data for use in climate change modeling

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The First Major Museum Show to Focus on Smell

“The Art of the Scent” recognizes and celebrates fragrance as a true artistic medium rather than just a consumer product

Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries building decorated for James Garfield’s inaugural ball, complete with string light garlands and patriotic buntings.

Inauguration History

Party Like It’s 1881: President Garfield’s Inaugural Ball

Nothing says, "Welcome, Mr. President," like 3,000 gas lights and a big hulking statue

Accompanied by a mat of long brown hair, these broken bones on the side of the highway most likely belonged to a woman.

Braving the Pan-American Highway of Death

Along the roadway in Peru, hand-built memorials to accident victims occur almost as regularly as the kilometer markers themselves

Dracula shaped pasta

How Kraft Uses Patents to Dominate the Mac and Cheese Wars

A tour through the patent files reveals a wide range of odd shapes, which collectively are a far cry from the elbow-shaped pasta of your youth

Red Acorn, 40 years old

Covered in Ink, Cross-sections of Trees Make Gorgeous Prints

Connecticut-based artist Bryan Nash Gill uses ink to draw out the growth rings of a variety of tree species

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The Hot Condiment of 2013? Barrel-Aged Hot Sauce

Restauranteurs across the nation are feeding a new trend by feeding hot sauce into whiskey oak barrels

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