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Arts & Culture

The five-foot-wide Tata Nano car is on view at the Cooper-Hewitt until April 25.

What’s Up

Ongoing studies of Neanderthal skeletons unearthed in Iraq during the 1950s suggest the existence of a more complex social structure than previously thought.

The Skeletons of Shanidar Cave

A rare cache of hominid fossils from the Kurdistan area of northern Iraq offers a window on Neanderthal culture

Rick Potts, director of the Human Origins Program at the Natural History Museum, proposed that climate change was the driving force in human evolution.

Q and A: Rick Potts

The Smithsonian anthropologist turned heads when he proposed that climate change was the driving force in human evolution

The new hall at the Natural History Museum explains our ancestral tree.

From the Castle: Becoming Us

Homo heidelbergensis—one of five sculptures crafted for the new exhibition hall at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History—takes shape at a Baltimore foundry.

Sculpting Evolution

A series of statues by sculptor John Gurche brings us face to face with our early ancestors

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New & Improved Fugu: Now, Without Poison!

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Unconventional Ovens

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Making Science Palatable

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Fun With Pho

Ever tried something for the first time and immediately felt like smacking yourself in the forehead?

A tag sealing a bag of hot dog buns displays a best before date of February 29

Decoding Expiration Dates

Eat up—It’s National Something Day

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Meeting José Andrés, and the Wines of Spain’s Ribeiro Region

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Olympic Feats of Food

Robért Fresh Market’s cake came with Mardi Gras beads, and a Mardi Gras plastic cup, but much to our disappointment, the baby was nestled on the outside of the cake, so there was no suspense in consumption process. Still, we had no problem eating the entire cake. The dough was delicate and layered, and the icing not overwhelming. A delicious prospect even without the surprise.

The King of Cakes at Mardi Gras

King cake may have gained fame through American Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, but it got its start in Europe

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Foods to Celebrate the Year of the Tiger

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Going Red Velvet for Valentine’s Day

Sweets are not in short supply around Valentine’s Day. But here’s an option a little more sophisticated than candy hearts or chocolate kisses

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The Evolution of the Sweet Tooth

There’s a reason sweethearts don’t give each other boxes of radicchio for Valentine’s Day. Humans have a soft spot for things that taste sweet

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Chocolate That Wants You To Be Happy

Cooking Up a Storm

In case you haven’t heard, the DC region got some serious snow this past weekend…some have been referring to it as “Snowpocalypse” or “Snomaggedon”

Admirers present valentines to a girl who is pretending to be sleeping, c. 1900s. In the 18th and 19th centuries, British children celebrated Valentine's Day by going door to door, singing songs.

Ten Out-of-the-Ordinary Valentine’s Day Customs

From the festivals of ancient Rome to modern campaigns, the holiday hasn’t always been about roses and candy

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