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A trio of upright walkers: Lucy (middle) and Australopithecus sediba (left and right)

Becoming Human: The Evolution of Walking Upright

Walking on two legs distinguished the first hominids from other apes, but scientists still aren’t sure why our ancestors became bipedal

This Wednesday, hear the original sounds of Arvel Bird as he performs a blend of Celtic and Native American music.

Events August 7-9: Sketching, Musical Genre-Bending and Stitching

This week, sketch like a master, catch a concert that blends Native American and Celtic sounds and stitch in the presence of greatness

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VIDEO: This Deep-Sea Squid Breaks Off Its Own Arms to Confuse Predators

A bioluminescent squid species that lives off the coast of California was caught on camera ditching its arms

Hot, handmade corn tortillas may be among the simplest and tastiest staple food items of the world. Here, the author presses out a batch.

Best Vegetarian Foods of the World

Traveling and eating abroad, many diners discover that the world is a vegetarian’s oyster

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Newly Acquired Whale Skull a “Missing Link”

Marine mammals expert Charles Potter has big plans for his newest acquisition

The AMNH skeleton of Styracosaurus, one of the dinosaurs from the upper zone of the Dinosaur Park Formation.

Dinosaur Turnover

Canada’s Dinosaur Park Formation is an exceptionally rich fossil boneyard, but what drove the evolution of the different dinosaurs found there?

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Scenes From a Changing Planet

Landsat satellites have been taking photos of Earth for a long time, but only now can you watch zoomable, time-lapse images of the planet’s transformation.

A digital rendering of Curiosity, set to land on Mars early Monday morning.

Curiosity, NASA’s Most Advanced Rover Yet, Is About to Land on Mars

The mobile laboratory will learn about the red planet’s climate and geology, hoping to determine whether it once could have supported life

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes searching for clues on his mobile phone

A Modern Sherlock Holmes and the Technology of Deduction

A modern Sherlock Holmes requires a modern tool. Today, his iconic problem-solving magnifying glass has been replaced by the indispensable cell phone

I Put Ice in My Wine Because You Don’t Serve it at the Right Temperature

Is there one perfect temperature to serve red or white wine? Perhaps not, but here are some good guidelines

This Saturday, celebrate Owney the dog, the unofficial mascot for the U.S. Railway Mail Service.

Events August 3-5: Children’s Workshop, Mail Time With Owney, East of the River Boys & Girls Steelband

This weekend, join Smithsonian for a workshop on 1950s Segregation, celebrate Owney the dog at the National Postal Museum and enjoy a steel drum concert

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The Double Dinosaur Brain Myth

Contrary to a popular myth, dinosaurs didn’t have butt brains

Author Gore Vidal, who died yesterday, published 25 novels in his lifetime. “The Smithsonian Institution” is one you’ve probably never heard of.

That Time When Gore Vidal Spiced up the Smithsonian

We take a look back at one of the late author’s lesser-known novels that imagines a history a little too close to home

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Reverse Jurassic Park

What if Jurassic Park were flipped, with raptors pondering the fate of prehistoric humans?

Experiments show several natural herbs provide some protection from the sun.

Can Natural Herbs Protect Your Skin From the Sun?

A number of studies indicate that several herb extracts could protect against sunburn and other damage from UV light

Seemingly benign bovines and other livestock eat soybeans from the deforested tropics, emit clouds of methane, pollute streams and gobble up 30 percent of the world’s grain production. It makes one wonder whether the world might taste better without them.

Is the Livestock Industry Destroying the Planet?

For the earth’s sake, maybe it’s time we take a good, hard look at our dietary habits

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What the Heck is a Chork?

The new trend of modifying cutlery has a new look with the Chork, which combines the scandalous fork with age-old chopsticks

The exquisite folios on display often incorporate gold details and other luxurious elements. A Prince Enthroned Iran, present-day Afghanistan, Herat ca. 1425-1430

“Worlds Within Worlds” at the Sackler Tells Stories Within Stories

A new exhibit explores the prosperous rule of the Mughal empire and the cross-cultural art it inspired

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Packing List Series, Part 2: An Artist’s Illustrated Guide

With a watercolor sketchbook guide, Adolf Konrad drew on his talents to record his belongings

Organic tools found at South Africa’s Border Cave include (a) wooden digging sticks, (b) poison applicator, (c) bone arrow point, (d) notched bones, (e) lump of beeswax mixed with resin and (f) beads made from marine shells and ostrich eggs.

The Origins of Modern Culture

A 44,000-year-old collection of wood and bone tools from South Africa may be the earliest example of modern culture, a new study suggests

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