Parents who remember fondly the days of "Reading Rainbow" can introduce the next generation to LeVar Burton's story times, with the Twitter livestream of "LeVar Burton Reads."

Education During Coronavirus

LeVar Burton Reads Stories on Twitter and Other Livestream Learning Opportunities This Week

Learn hip-hop dance or do citizen science without leaving home this week, thanks to the internet’s many intrepid artists and educators

Ten Surprising Facts About Everyday Household Objects

While COVID-19 has us homebound, it’s a good time to reflect on the peculiar histories of housewares we take for granted

A U.S. government-issue IBA (Interceptor Body Armor) bulletproof vest used by U.S. Forces in Iraq

The Long, Fraught History of the Bulletproof Vest

The question of bulletproofing vexed physicians and public figures for years, before pioneering inventors experimented with silk

A lithograph by Alice Dick Dumas depicts children going to a clinic for a health check to prevent the advance of disease.

Covid-19

How Epidemics of the Past Changed the Way Americans Lived

Past public health crises inspired innovations in infrastructure, education, fundraising and civic debate

Danish physician Nadja Albertsen spent a year at Concordia Research Station in Antarctica.

Covid-19

Ten Tips From Scientists Who Have Spent Months in Isolation

Find a hobby, for starters, and don’t forget the mission, say scientists who have worked at remote research stations

Join Connecticut’s Mystic Aquarium every morning at 11 a.m.

Education During Coronavirus

Check Out These Educational Livestreams This Week

Authors, scientists and others are offering fun livestream lessons and performances to keep kids engaged during isolation

Fashion designer Samantha Sleeper has made face masks for healthcare workers as supplies dwindle due to COVID-19.

Covid-19

As Face Mask Supply Dwindles, Fashion Designers Offer Their Assistance

In New York City, a desperate need among healthcare workers has pushed to the forefront the question: Is homemade equipment safe to use?

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Education During Coronavirus

Education During the Coronavirus Crisis

With school closures underway, teachers, students and parents around the globe venture into remote learning. Here are some resources to help.

The Kennedy Space Center will have daily Facebook Live presentations for young children at 9:30 a.m. and for teens at 1 p.m.

Education During Coronavirus

This Week’s Best Livestream Learning Opportunities

From doodle sessions to zoo tours, here’s a week of online activities to keep your kids learning during the school shutdown

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Virtual Travel

Travel the Globe—and Beyond—From Your Living Room

From virtual museum tours to space exploration, ancient worlds and natural phenomena, this hub has you covered

Jason Hayman, managing director of Sustainable Marine Energy, checks out Plat-I, the company’s primary project.

Planet Positive

The Push for Tidal Power Faces Its Biggest Challenge Yet

The renewable energy source has never quite lived up to its potential, but a new experiment in Nova Scotia could flip the script

Insect expert Dan Babbitt talks about the Chilean Rose Tarantula on “Smithsonian Science How,” a video series for students

Smithsonian Voices

Seven Ways to Learn About Natural History From Home

Deepen your understanding of the natural world with these free resources

Planet Positive

Six Crazy Attempts to Geoengineer the Weather

These scientists and inventors set out to change the planet with these out-of-the-box ideas

The EVA of Astronauts James Irwin, or Apollo XV EVA, Pierre Mion.

I Was Among the Lucky Few to Walk in Space

On July 31, 1971, Al Worden performed the first deep-space extra-vehicular activity. “No one in all of history” saw what he saw that day

Documents from the Smithsonian's "Jogbra, Inc. Collection" include the company's marketing and advertising materials (above).

How the First Sports Bra Got Its Stabilizing Start

It all began when three frustrated women sought the no-bounce zone

Frea is a year-old, zero-waste vegan restaurant in Berlin.

The Rise of ‘Zero-Waste’ Restaurants

A new breed of food establishment is attempting to do away with food waste entirely

Isle au Haut thoroughfare

A Tiny Island Off the Coast of Maine Could Be a Renewable Energy Model for the Rest of the World

Remote Isle au Haut is integrating time-tested technology with emerging innovations to create its own microgrid

In this photo taken on March 6, 2020, primary school teacher Billy Yeung records a video lesson for his students, who have had their classes suspended due to coronavirus, in his empty classroom in Hong Kong.

Education During Coronavirus

What Happened When Hong Kong’s Schools Went Virtual to Combat the Spread of Coronavirus

A temporary solution during months-long school shutdowns, the online classrooms may be an experiment the rest of the world can learn from

The Microbus revolutionized the automobile industry just as America's social revolution was beginning.

How the Volkswagen Bus Became a Symbol of Counterculture

Seventy years ago, the German car manufacturer started producing the Microbus—the first van and a striking vehicle for protest

The military latched on to the trampoline as a training device for pilots, to allow them to learn how to reorient themselves to their surroundings after difficult air maneuvers.

How the Trampoline Came to Be

Inspired by circus performers, George Nissen created the bouncing ‘tumbling device’ that still captures imaginations 75 years later

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