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Blogs

Periodical cicadas, like the one pictured above, have missed a lot of news about insects since they last appeared.

Leaproaches, Mutant Butterflies and Other Insect News That the 17-Year Cicadas Missed

Since 1996, scientists have found the oldest fossil insect, the largest living bug, a new taxonomic order and more

Benjamin Franklin’s phonetic alphabet

Benjamin Franklin’s Phonetic Alphabet

One of the founding father’s more quixotic quests was to create a new alphabet. No Q included

A side view of Lathyrus odoratus L. 2009-2012. By Macoto Murayama

Macoto Murayama’s Intricate Blueprints of Flowers

The Japanese artist depicts blossoms from various plant species in fastidious detail

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What the Great Gatsby Got Right about the Jazz Age

Curator Amy Henderson explores how the 1920s came alive in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel

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The World According to Twitter, in Maps

A new geographic analysis of millions of tweets provides a remarkably broad view of humanity, by language, location and other factors

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The Great(est) Gatsby Playlist

Baz Luhrmann may have his take, but Smithsonian Folkways offers its own streaming soundtrack for the novel-turned-movie

What makes a 21st century mom?

10 New Things Science Says About Moms

Among then: They answer a lot of questions and their spit is good for us

Cover of the 1982 book Omni Future Almanac

$18 for a Dozen Eggs by 2010? Inflation Fears in 1982

The Omni Future Almanac predicted that a gallon of gas would be cheaper than a quart of milk

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The Water On the Moon Probably Came From Earth

New isotopic analysis of hydrogen in Apollo-era Moon rocks shows that the water locked inside them hails from our planet

Smithsonian’s annual Garden Fest will be held in the Enid A. Haupt Garden on Tuesday. Come learn about composting and worm farming!

Events May 10-12: Plant Potting, Super Science Saturday and a Musical Tribute to Mother’s Day

This weekend, celebrate the earth by playing in a garden, unlock the mysteries of astronomy and take mom to hear some great classical music

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The Best of Design, Cooper-Hewitt Announces 2013 Award Winners

From a Las Vegas Denny’s with a wedding chapel to rock ‘n’ roll posters, this year’s design award winners have a good time with great design

Helpless babe or capable professional navigator?

Baby Weddell Seals Have the Most Adult-Like Brains in the Animal Kingdom

The newborn seal pups possess the most well-developed brains compared to other mammals, but that advantage comes with a cost

New research shows our brains have a specialized system to anticipate the location of moving objects, located in V5 region of the visual cortex.

How the Human Brain Tracks a 100-mph Fastball

Research shows that our brains have a specialized system to anticipate the location of moving objects, located in the visual cortex

The National Zoo's two giant pandas don't know how to mate with each other. But thanks to artificial insemination Mei Xiang (L) and Tian Tian (R) have produced two cubs, and a third may be on the way. Photo courtesy of the National Zoo

How Does Science Help Pandas Make More Panda Babies?

A behind-the-scenes look at the ways the National Zoo assists Washington’s most famous sexually frustrated bear couple

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What Happens When a Keyboard Goes From Tactile to Touchscreen?

There’s a word for that odd quirk of Apple iPads that hold on to design components of old keyboards

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What Phone Companies Are Doing With All That Data From Your Phone

They’re mining it and selling it. But don’t worry, it’s all anonymous. Maybe

Thousands of Dutch fans celebrate a soccer match between Netherlands and Germany in the Ukranian city of Kharkiv in 2012. The fans and their German counterparts likely share hundreds of genetic ancestors from the past thousand years.

Cracking the Code of the Human Genome

My Big Fat European Family: What Genomics Tell Us About Shared Ancestors

Any two modern-day Europeans, even those living on opposite sides of the continent, may be more closely related than they might think

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PHOTOS Baby’s First Romp: Andean Cubs Play in the Rain

With their new yard baby-proofed, the two cubs took the outside for a day in the rain before their public debut Saturday

Rev. Dennis Kamakahi performs at the 2012 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

Hawaiian Musician Dennis Kamakahi Donates His Guitar

Slack Key guitar music sounds new notes for history of cowboys and the West in ceremony honoring the Hawaiian composer

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The History of Baseball Stadium Nachos

From a Mexican maitre ‘d’s mishap in 1943 to the gooey, orange stuff you put on your chips at the baseball game today.

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