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Recent testing shows that, contrary to prior findings, new plastic helmets reduce the risk of concussions by 45 to 96 percent.

Are Modern Football Helmets Any Safer than Old-School Leather Ones?

Recent testing shows that, contrary to prior findings, new plastic helmets reduce the risk of concussions by 45 to 96 percent

The Hindenburg disaster was captured on camera and in eye-witness accounts.

A Hindenburg Passenger Ticket, Possibly the Only One to Still Exist, Goes On View

On the 76th Anniversary of the fiery crash, what may be the only passenger ticket to survive the crash can be seen at the National Postal Museum

In celebration of Bolivia’s culture, the American Indian Museum is holding a quinoa festival this week.

Events May 7-9: Finding Our Way, a Quinoa Celebreation and String Quartets

This week, learn how time can tell us where we are, experience Bolivian culture and listen to musicians from the Marlboro Music Festival

The creamy sticks of color seen here are just the latest in a long history of lipsticks—historical records suggest that humans have been artificially coloring their lips since 4,000 B.C.

Heavy Metals, Insects and Other Weird Things Found in Lipstick Through Time

From seaweed and beetles to lead and synthetic chemicals, lipstick has seen its share of strange—and dangerous—components

Bozie will go into quarantine for a minimum of 30 days upon her arrival at the National Zoo, per standard procedure. An expert team of elephant keepers, nutritionists and veterinarians will care for her. Following quarantine, Zoo staff will begin the process of introducing her to females Ambika and Shanthi and male Kandula.

Breaking News: Bozie the Elephant to Join National Zoo

A new Asian Elephant will soon arrive at the National Zoo, on loan from the Baton Rogue Zoo

Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg and her DNA-derived self-portrait.

Cracking the Code of the Human Genome

Creepy or Cool? Portraits Derived From the DNA in Hair and Gum Found in Public Places

Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg reconstructs the faces of strangers from genetic evidence she scavenges from the streets

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Cracking the Code of the Human Genome

The Secret to a Long Life May Be Deep Inside Your Brain

Scientists have found a way to slow the aging process. Unluckily for us, they’ve only been able to do it in mice

Our bodies convert asparagusic acid into sulfur-containing chemicals that stink—but some of us are spared from the pungent aroma.

Ask Smithsonian

Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell

Our bodies convert asparagusic acid into sulfur-containing chemicals that stink—but some of us are spared from the pungent odor

When Chinese American Vincent Chin was beaten to death by two autoworkers in 1982 during a time of growing resentment toward Japan’s auto industry, the incident became a rallying point for Asian Pacific American communities.

From the Civil War to Civil Rights: The Many Ways Asian Americans Have Shaped the Country

A new exhibit in time for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month highlights the long, diverse history of Asian Americans

VOTO, a new device that converts the heat from a fire into readily usable electricity.

Five Innovative Technologies that Bring Energy to the Developing World

From soccer balls to cookstoves, engineers are working on a range of devices that provide cheap, clean energy

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What’s Better at the New Orleans Jazz Fest: The Food or the Music?

From oyster patties to po’boys, crawfish to étouffée, the caterers and restaurants offer strong competition to the legends on the big stage

Paris, Frills and Button Flowers, Autumn/Winter 1971

For Perusing Pleasure, Zandra Rhodes’ New Online Fashion Archive

The honored Brit—50 years in the business—goes for the bold in her designer collections

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Predictions for Privacy in the Age of Facebook (from 1985!)

Mark Zuckerberg wasn’t even a year old when a graduate student foresaw the emergence of online personal profiles

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Want to See How an Artist Creates a Painting? There’s an App for That

The Repentir app reveals an artist’s creative process by allowing users to peel back layers of paint with the touch of their fingertips

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Events May 3-5: American Civil Rights, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Interactive Robot Games

This weekend, tour America’s shift towards equality, meet local Asian Pacific American writers and celebrate Children’s Day

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UPDATE: Sloth Bear Cub Has a New Name

The National Zoo’s sloth bear cub is now called Hank

Canyon walls tower above river rafters in the cathedralesque Grand Canyon. Traveling by raft may be the most enjoyable and easiest way to explore the Colorado River, one of the most threatened rivers.

Exploring the World’s Most Imperiled Rivers

Agriculture, pollution and hydroelectric development threaten many great rivers. See them while they still flow, via raft, kayak, canoe—or bicycle

View of Xu Bing’s Phoneix models in transit.

How Do You Build a 12-Ton Sculpture Installation? Very Slowly

Two years, two births, one Olympic Games and one global crisis–a lot can happen in one art project.

How many unborn brothers and sisters did this sand tiger shark devour to be here today?

Baby Sand Tiger Sharks Devour Their Siblings While Still in the Womb

This seemingly horrific reproduction strategy may be a way for females to better control which males sire her offspring

Before the blows began to rain: Walter Reuther (hand in pocket) and Richard Frankensteen (to Reuther’s left).

How the Ford Motor Company Won a Battle and Lost Ground

Corporate violence against union organizers might have gone unrecorded—if it not for an enterprising news photographer

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