Arts & Culture

“Evolution of the Host”—A New Poem by Robert Pinsky

“Evolution of the Host”—A New Poem by Robert Pinsky

February 2013

An Illustrated Guide to the World’s Creation Myths

Each culture has its own version of how the universe began. Artist Noah MacMillan brings this “visual vocabulary” to life

February 1, 2013

Listen to Doc Watson Picking Away at his Banjo

A new release from Smithsonian Folkways highlights the talent of a bluegrass master

February 2013

New Books, Reviewed: Animal Emotions, Deconstructing Detroit and the Science of Winning

Taking a closer look at some of the newest releases in non-fiction

February 2013

A Nike Shoe, Now a Part of the Smithsonian

The Flyknit racer is currently in the collections of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

February 2013

The Story Behind Banksy

On his way to becoming an international icon, the subversive and secretive street artist turned the art world upside-down

February 2013

Most of What You Think You Know About Grammar Is Wrong

And ending sentences with a preposition is nothing worth worrying about

February 2013

The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories

How does following the adventures of Spider-Man and Batman inspire us to cope with adversity?

February 2013

How to Tour Louis Armstrong’s New Orleans

Jazz is synonymous with the Big Easy, and there’s no bigger name in the history of the genre than Satchmo

January 31, 2013

Beatboxing, as Seen Through Scientific Images

To see how certain sound effects are humanly possible, a team of University of Southern California researchers took MRI scans of a beatboxer in action

January 30, 2013

How Did Avocados Become the Official Super Bowl Food?

Did you know this off-season penchant for guacamole is an industry creation?

January 30, 2013

Falernum: The Elusive Cocktail Syrup to Name Drop At Your Next Party

This tiki-era mixer, best served with rum, has a hazy past and an island-y bite

January 29, 2013

The Berger Cookie is Baltimore’s Gift to the Chocolate World

For nearly 200 years, the true black-and-white cookie has been delighting residents of Charm City

January 28, 2013

American Myths: Benjamin Franklin’s Turkey and the Presidential Seal

How the New Yorker and the West Wing botched the history of the icon

January 25, 2013

Mona Lisa Travels by Laser, to Space And Back Again

To test the reaches of laser communication, NASA beamed a digital image of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous portrait to a satellite orbiting the moon

January 25, 2013

How to Tour Jane Austen’s English Countryside

Follow in the footsteps of Mr. Darcy and the Bennet sisters and take in the manors and gardens of rural England

January 25, 2013

Who Designed the Seal of the President of the United States?

We see it on the President’s lectern and in the Oval Office, but who came up with the look and feel of it in the first place?

January 23, 2013

Origami: A Blend of Sculpture and Mathematics

Artist and MIT professor Erik Demaine makes flat geometric diagrams spring into elegant, three-dimensional origami sculptures

January 23, 2013

Polaroid Portraits: Capturing President Obama’s Second Inauguration

We sent photojournalist Tamir Kalifa to the inauguration to ask attendees why they came to the National Mall

January 23, 2013

Why Hypercolor T-Shirts Were Just a One-Hit Wonder

Heat-sensitive color made this sportswear a hot item—but it didn’t last

January 22, 2013