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Neil Armstrong united America when he walked on the moon in 1969.

Godspeed, Neil Armstrong — A Reflection on the Astronaut’s Life

Senior curator of the Air and Space museum remembers the man who united a country and walked on the moon

An electron scanning micrograph of the molecule-weighing device. When a molecule lands on the bridge-like portion at the center, it vibrates at a frequency that indicates its mass.

New Device Can Measure the Mass of a Single Molecule

Caltech scientists have created an ultra-sensitive device that can weigh an individual molecule for the first time

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What is the Future of College Education?

More and more top American universities are offering courses online for free. Going to college will never be the same again

Barbara Kruger offers words of wisdom at the new installation at the Hirshhorn, just in time for the political conventions.

Events August 28-30: Belief + Doubt, Gallery Talks and Baby Animals

This week, see the latest from Barbara Kruger, crafting contemporaries and the Zoo’s baby boom

This stealth tank can change its surface temperature at will, making it invisible to infrared cameras.

Five Ways Science Can Make Something Invisible

Stealth tanks, invisibility cloaks, mirages and other invisible innovations could be closer than you’d think

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Your Unofficial Guide to Portland, Oregon’s Many Brewpubs and Breweries

In parts of Portland, Oregon, one must hardly walk three blocks before running into another bar that pours its very own beer. Locally brewed?

From Jananne Al-Ani’s new work, a mesmerizing view of south Jordan. Production still from Shadow Sites II, 2011

At the Sackler, Shadows of History Hidden in Middle Eastern Landscapes

New work from Jananne Al-Ani exposes a complicated history within the Middle Eastern landscape

Biking while wearing stretchy knit hot pants, 1972

Hit-Making Hot Pants

In 1971, the eye-popping short shorts fad caught the attention of pop singers

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Birmingham’s Smoking Dinosaurs

In 1938, awful dinosaurs roamed Birmingham, England

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Your Mouth-Watering Roundup of the Best State Fair Foods

The top five foods from this year’s state fair season are so bad they’re good

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Researchers Working on a “Chill Pill” for Sharks

In response to stress, sharks can undergo dangerous changes in blood chemistry, so scientists are attempting to develop a solution

The birdcage dress is always a favorite with partygoers. Or, if you’re looking for something a bit more low-key, try on a flower mask. (No birds were harmed in the making of this illustration.)

Going Out This Weekend? Try Some Dress-Up Ideas from the Collection

Birdcages, floppy hats and shamrock hats–that’s right, it’s party night at the Smithsonian Libraries

Visitors can now enjoy the antics of the Zoo’s three-month old fishing cat kittens.

Baby Fishing Cats Up the Zoo’s Cute Factor

More from the Zoo’s baby boom, three-month-old kittens frolic on display

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The Unbuilt High-rise Designs of Rem Koolhaas and OMA

The radical, unbuilt high-rises designed by Rem Koolhaas are witty, subversive, and surprisingly simple

View of the “kurgan” burial mounds at Berel in East Kazakhstan

Burial Mounds Preserve Culture of Ancient Nomads in Kazakhstan

A new exhibit at the Smithsonian Sackler Gallery brings nomadic Kazakh culture to Washington, D.C., for the first time, shedding light on ancient trade

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Bicentenaria and the Rise of the Coelurosaurs

Paleontologists describe a new dinosaur that yields clues about how one of the most spectacular groups of theropods got their start

Artist Jananne al-Ani discusses her work at the Sackler Gallery this Saturday at 2pm.

Events August 24-26: Bones, Steel Pans, and Photographic Ingenuity

This weekend, bone up on your skeletal knowledge, survey new artwork from the Middle East and celebrate the steel pan

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Why Did the Mayan Civilization Collapse? A New Study Points to Deforestation and Climate Change

A severe drought, exacerbated by widespread logging, appears to have triggered the mysterious Mayan demise

Can sensors make you jump higher?

Is That a Computer in Your Shoe?

Sensors in sports shoes get all the attention, but other devices can identify you by how you walk and help Alzheimer’s patients find their way home

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The Robot Hall of Fame: Vote Rosey 2012

For the first time, Carnegie Mellon University’s Robot Hall of Fame is allowing the public to vote on which robots will be inducted

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