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The Big Bang: Enthralling Photos of Exploding Bullets

Houston photographer Deborah Bay captures the violent power of projectiles lodged in bulletproof plexiglass

Store-provided personal barcode scanners are becoming more commonplace, but the technology is being adapted for smart phones to make for an easier shopping experience.

Five Ways to See the Supermarket of the Future Today

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Tesla at the Smithsonian: The Story Behind His Genius

A new biography looks to document how the scientist thought of so many inventions, some of which are housed at the American History Museum

Two Wayuu dancers from La Guajira Province in northern Colombia perform a courtship dance.

June 27: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival

Check out today’s events at the Folklife Festival, including Hawaiian music, Roma fiddlers and Welsh poetry

Hear the voices of the Navy this Friday at the Air and Space Museum, where the Navy Band Sea Chanters and The Anchor Sisters will perform.

Events June 28-30: Navy Band Sea Chanters, Hungarian Folk Dance and ‘Cold War’

This weekend, listen to Navy sea chanteys, dance like a Hungarian and check the Hong Kong action-thriller “Cold War” on the big screen

Our uncommon shoulder flexibility allows us to throw extremely fast, as compared to other primates—a trait we likely evolved two million years ago to aid with hunting.

How the Human Body Evolved to Throw Fastballs

Our shoulder flexibility allows us to hurl things at high speeds compared to other primates—a trait we likely evolved for hunting two million years ago

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photos of MLK at Work: The Civil Rights Leader Before and After His “I Have a Dream” Speech

The National Portrait Gallery looks at the work of Martin Luther King beyond his most famous hour

A wedding procession moves from the groom’s house to the bride’s house in Szék/Sic, Transylvania.

June 26: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival

Check out today’s events at the Folklife Festival, including Russian dance, black fashion and sing-alongs

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Get the Folklife Festival in a Single App

Get schedules, maps and more for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival with a new app for your iPhone or Android

Research says dogs have learned to behave like children.

Are Dogs Now Just Furry Kids?

Research is showing how much the bonds between dogs and their owners have become like a parent-child relationship

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Why We Should Study Cancer Like We Study Ecosystems

Like pine beetles sickening a forest as they spread, cancer can be seen as a disruption in the balance of a complex microenvironment in the human body

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This Bumpy-Faced Reptile Ruled the Prehistoric Desert

Newly excavated fossils tell us more about the cow-sized, plant-eating Bunostegos akokanensis, which roamed Pangea around 260 million years ago

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UPDATE: Red Panda Found After It Escaped from Its Enclosure

Rusty, a red panda, was first discovered missing from his enclosure early Monday morning, but was found in the afternoon

Points interactive directional signpost

A Sign For the Times: Digital Wayfinding Adapts to Your Needs

Design agency BREAKFAST is creating the street sign of the future

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Smithsonian Creates America’s Family Photo Album, Featuring You

Help create the ultimate album with your own memories and photographs from visiting the museums

A horticulturist from the Natural History Museum will give a tour of the Butterfly Garden and provide tips on how to attract butterflies to your own backyard greenery.

Events June 25-27: Electrical Inventions, Revolutionary Knowledge and Butterfly Gardens

This weekend, take a glimpse into Nikola Tesla’s life, sharpen your knowledge on revolutionary figures and tour the Butterfly Garden

Who do you think is the bigger threat in this picture?

A Turn in the Tide for Sharks and Their Public Image

Nearly 40 years after Jaws gave sharks a bad rap, the fish are the ones that need saving, not the beachgoers

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Sloth Cub Hank Says Hello at the National Zoo

At six months, the Zoo’s first sloth cub in seven years made his public debut

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This Incredible Art Installation Makes It Rain, Everywhere But On You

“Rain Room,” on display at MoMA, is an indoor downpour that detects the presence of people and adjusts to keep them dry

Legendary skateboarders Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen will be at the National Museum of American History this weekend for Innoskate, a skateboarding innovation festival.

4 Tips for Inventing the Next Great Skateboarding Trick, Courtesy of Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen

The skateboarding legends will be at the American History Museum this weekend to talk about innovation in their sport

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