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Pan de muerto

Food During Times of Grief

In a funereal setting, food often servers a number of symbolic functions

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Video: This Elephant Learned to Speak Korean

Koshik, an Asian elephant at a South Korean zoo, learned to uncannily mimic five Korean words by stuffing his trunk in his mouth

Cover of the Jan 1950 issue of Redbook

Aldous Huxley’s Predictions for 2000 A.D.

The famous author envisioned a brave new world where swelling populations would put tremendous strain on the Earth’s resources

Local hip-hop artist Substantial will perform at the American Art Museum.

Events November 2-4: Political Machines, Moon Rocks and Substantial Music

This weekend, survey the technologies of campaigns past, learn about the quirky history of moon rocks and catch a show by hip-hop artist Substantial

Many Allosaurus bones have been found with fractures and other pathologies, but were any of these injuries caused by falls?

Following Dinosaur Falls

Dinosaurs undoubtedly slipped and fell. But did they leave any evidence of their mishaps in the fossil record?

As the goddess of love, beauty and sexual pleasure, Aphrodite inspired cult worship and challenged artists to render her in suitably magnificent form.

Bringing the Color Back to Ancient Greece

The white marble statutes we revere were originally dressed in eye-popping pigments

Lewis Lapham, the legendary former editor of Harper's, who, beginning in the 1970s, helped change the face of American nonfiction, has a new mission: taking on the Great Paradox of the digital age.

Lewis Lapham’s Antidote to the Age of BuzzFeed

With his erudite Quarterly, the legendary Harper’s editor aims for an antidote to digital-age ignorance

Langston Hughes is one of the many poets featured in the National Portrait Gallery's "Poetic Likeness" exhibition.

Who Are the Geniuses Behind Your Favorite Poems?

A new exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery unmasks the titans of modern American poetry

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Listen to the Elizabeth Mitchell Experience

Listen to the Elizabeth Mitchell Experience

According to oral tradition, the Mayflower Pilgrims landed near Plymouth Rock in 1620—but first-person accounts of their arrival make no mention of it.

Did the Pilgrims Really Land on Plymouth Rock and More Questisons From our Readers

Where do hurricanes start, the Big Bang, sea gulls and other answers from the Smithsonian’s experts

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Spotlight

A still from Lincoln, directed by Steven Spielberg.

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Mr. Lincoln Goes to Hollywood

Steven Spielberg, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Tony Kushner talk about what it takes to wrestle an epic presidency into a feature film

Water and sediment flowing from Malibu Creek and Lagoon impact the waves at Surfrider, especially after winter rains.

Malibu’s Epic Battle of Surfers Vs. Environmentalists

Local politics take a dramatic turn in southern California over a plan to clean up an iconic American playground

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Hints and Honors

The Great American History Puzzle lives on! Now complete with helpful hints and full explanations of answers! Plus, our Honor Roll of solvers

A Tale of Two Screams: Which Stock Horror Scream is Better?

Often, screams in horror movies come from stock files. Chances are, they’re one of two stock screams: the Wilhelm or the Howie

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What Scared Dinosaurs? The Terror Croc

Deinosuchus, an enormous alliagtoroid, undoubtedly gave dinosaurs much to fear

Black-headed Spider Monkey (Ateles fusciceps)

Alan Dudley’s Wondrous Array of Animal Skulls

A new book delivers fascinating photographs of over 300 skulls from the British taxidermist’s personal collection—the largest in the world

Red state, blue state; no matter what the regional specialty, this is candy country.

Candy Land: A Coast-to-Coast Tour of America’s Sweet Treats

A Twix is nice, but these local candies and treats provide some much-needed variety this Halloween season

An artist’s reconstruction of Purgatorius, a probable primate ancestor.

Five Early Primates You Should Know

Scientists have identified dozens of early primates, based on teeth, but still have a hard time assessing how these mammals relate to modern primates

Eating a fatty sandwich for breakfast could impact your cardiovascular health by the afternoon.

Even in Healthy Adults, High-Fat Fast Foods Affect Arteries Almost Immediately

In a new study, people who ate a pair of fatty sausage and egg sandwiches for breakfast showed reduced blood vessel health by the afternoon

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