Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Science / Human Behavior

Meet Homo naledi, the newest member of the human family tree.

What Makes a Fossil a Member of the Human Family Tree?

The surprising new species Homo naledi raises more questions than answers—for now

This is your brain on science.

“Hidden Brain” Podcast Will Make You Think Twice About Your Unconscious Mind

In the new NPR program, correspondent Shankar Vedantam connects rigorous science with people’s everyday experiences

Taste science ftw.

New Research

Winning Really Does Taste Sweet, Because Emotions Change Taste Perception

A study of hockey fans sampling ice cream may offer clues to the origins of emotional eating disorders

How hard is it to replicate results in psychology studies?

New Research

Scientists Replicated 100 Psychology Studies, and Fewer Than Half Got the Same Results

The massive project shows that reproducibility problems plague even top scientific journals

Learning the value of sharing.

New Research

Want a Satisfying Sex Life? Try Being a Better Parent

Data suggest that splitting childcare duties often produces happier, more sexually satisfied couples

Roses mark a window filled with bullet holes after a shooting spree in Denmark.

New Research

Shootings and Mass Murders Seem to Be Contagious

Data spanning decades shows how high-profile events can cause outbreaks of similar killings that mirror the spread of disease

People Get Seasonal Depression in the Summer, Too

Millions suffer from SAD in summer as well as winter, and evidence hints that birth season plays a role in who develops the disorder

Penicillin: a fuzzy little life saver.

11 Reasons to Love Bacteria, Fungi and Spores

From medicines to jet fuel, we have so many reasons to celebrate the microbes we live with every day

Eight New Things Science Says About Being a Dad

They’re still not very good at cooing to toddlers, and their testosterone levels start to drop even before a baby is born

Who's a widdle smarty pants?

The Many Ways Baby Talk Gives Infant Brains a Boost

From a higher vocabulary to mastering mouth motion, the lilting babble seems to play a key role in helping babies process language

New Research

Investigating the Case of the Earliest Known Murder Victim

A 430,000-year-old skull discovered in a Spanish cave bears evidence of deliberate, lethal blunt force trauma

At 3.3 million years old, tools unearthed at the Lomekwi 3 excavation site in Kenya, like the one pictured above, represent the oldest known evidence of stone tools, researchers suggest.

The Oldest Stone Tools Yet Discovered Are Unearthed in Kenya

3.3 million-year-old artifacts predate the human genus

10 New Things Science Says About Being a Mom

Such as, how much time she spends with her child doesn’t matter as much as we think

In a recent ad campaign, portraits of litterers made from DNA taken from tossed cigarettes, coffee cups and condoms were posted in public places around Hong Kong.

DNA Testing Could Identify Litterbugs and Dog Poop Miscreants

Anonymous crimes may not be quite so anonymous anymore

New Research

What Does It Feel Like to Be Invisible?

Volunteers in Sweden were tricked into thinking their bodies had vanished, and the “superpower” seemed to ease social fears

Ask Smithsonian: How Do People Get Phobias?

The origins of irrational fears

Doing science in the field wrecks havoc on the nails

Just Another #ManicureMonday for Women Scientists and Their Dirty Nails

For a Smithsonian researcher, Monday is a day to honor the women in science and other uses for nail polish

Researchers found that human joint-bone density remained pretty high until recently in our evolutionary history, around the same time that humans began switching from hunting and gathering to farming.

Switching to Farming Made Human Joint Bones Lighter

A more fragile skeleton evolved about 12,000 years ago, probably driven by a shift from hunting to agriculture

That first dip into a hot spring may actually send chills over your skin.

Why Does Very Hot Water Sometimes Feel Cold?

The weird sensation known as paradoxical cold has scientists locked in a heated debate

"Once more unto the breach, dear friends … "

Shopping on Black Friday Makes You Feel Like a Well-Loved Warrior

A powerful cocktail of social bonding and competitive adventure will compel more than 95 million people to hit the stores on one day

Page 13 of 29