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This Month in History

Momentous or Merely Memorable

The bridge, which is awaiting decking and with temporary pylons in September 2009, was built to bypass the part of U.S. Route 93 that crosses the Hoover Dam.

A Breathtaking New Bridge

The construction of the bridge that bypasses the Hoover Dam was an Erector Set dream come true for this photographer

A cliff-face cavity is all that remains of one of two sixth-century Buddha sculptures, sublime expressions of Bamiyan's ancient kingdom.

Searching for Buddha in Afghanistan

An archaeologist insists a third giant statue lies near the cliffs where the Bamiyan Buddhas, destroyed in 2001, once stood

Renowned as an art colony, San Miguel also mounts festivals showcasing indigenous cultures.

Under the Spell of San Miguel de Allende

Ever since American Stirling Dickinson arrived there in 1937, the Mexican town has been a magnet for artists and U.S. expatriates

Discoverer of more dinosaur species than any other living scientist, Xu Xing says some dinosaurs have birdlike traits, including feathers.

Dinosaurs’ Living Descendants

China’s spectacular feathered fossils have finally answered the century-old question about the ancestors of today’s birds

The only great ape unique to Asia, orangutans are increasingly rare, with fewer than 50,000 in Borneo. Here, a male named Doyok moves through a reserve.

A Quest to Save the Orangutan

Birute Mary Galdikas has devoted her life to saving the great ape. But the orangutan faces its greatest threat yet

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Wild Things: Life as We Know It

Drought crises, Florida panthers, humpback whales and more…

An illustration of German-born fossil collector Albert Koch's "Hydrarchos" as it appeared on display.

Ask Smithsonian 2017

How Did Whales Evolve?

Originally mistaken for dinosaur fossils, whale bones uncovered in recent years have told us much about the behemoth sea creatures

Improved telescope technology, the New York Sun reported, allowed an astronomer to see fantastic lunar life-forms.

Lunar Bat-men, the Planet Vulcan and Martian Canals

Five of science history’s most bizarre cosmic delusions

Using Ancestry.com, Ted Gup was able to track down the recipients of his grandfather's generosity.

Ted Gup on “The Gift”

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