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From the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

History of Now

This Jigsaw Puzzle Was Given to Ellis Island Immigrants to Test Their Intelligence

A confusing set of blocks could seal their fate

Jefferson Davis

The Trial of the Century That Wasn’t

The case against Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, would have been a legal showdown of the ages

Cover of Smithsonian Magazine, April 2017

Discussion

Reader responses to our April issue

Eternally mysterious Mount Fuji, as seen from Lake Kawaguchiko, remains a powerful force in Japanese culture and a must-do hike for truth-seekers despite the crowds and the looming threat of eruption.

Why Mount Fuji Endures As a Powerful Force in Japan

Not even crowds and the threat of an eruption can dampen the eternally mysterious volcano

Equus first evolved in North America millions of years ago.

How the Mustang, the Symbol of the Frontier, Became a Nuisance

A mainstay of Western culture, the free-roaming stallions are now a force to be reckoned with

Why I Take Fake Pills

Surprising new research shows that placebos still work even when you know they’re not real

Since October 2001, the most populous states have also resettled the most refugees, but some states have accommodated more than might be expected, while others have taken in fewer.

By the Numbers: The United States of Refugees

President Trump’s order temporarily barring all refugees and many immigrants has ignited debate about U.S. policies toward outsiders

Guided only by phone GPS, Salar, left, and Saif crossed the Aegean. “I downloaded every possible map,” says Salar.

A Modern Odyssey: Two Iraqi Refugees Tell Their Harrowing Story

Fleeing violence in Iraq, two close friends embarked on an epic journey across Europe—and ended up worlds apart

Sefton Delmer reads in the radio booth in 1941.

Fighting the Nazis With Fake News

A new documentary rediscovers a World War II campaign that was stranger than nonfiction

Discussion

Reader responses to our March issue

The old Simpsons "haunted" the family house in a 2014 Halloween episode

The Simpson Family Made Its Television Debut 30 Years Ago

When they arrived on the Tracey Ullman show, their look was a little more ragged

What Is Dark Matter and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

A quarter of the U.S. population (including a girl in Moline, Illinois) turned out for the Liberty Bell.

World War I: 100 Years Later

How the Liberty Bell Won the Great War

As it entered World War I, the United States was politically torn and financially challenged. An American icon came to the rescue

Researchers have documented more than 4,000 fossils on clifftop beds accessible to the public.

Canada

Darwin Would Have Loved the Cliffs of Newfoundland, Where 500-Million-Years-Old Fossils Reside

Step back in time half a billion years to a world of mysterious sea creatures that would have thrilled Darwin

The government worker Chandra Rangani tends to the health of Thimmamma Marrimanu.

Evotourism ®

The Biggest Tree Canopy on the Planet Stretches Across Nearly Five Acres

In remote India, a visit to Thimmamma Marrimanu offers a spectacular lesson in the vital coexistence of living things

Kilauea at sunrise: A massive flow streams from a lava tube at the Kamokuna ocean entry.

Evotourism ®

Hawaii’s Must-See Lava Flows Are Home to New, Startling Ecosystems

These stunning volcanoes are creating new islands of evolution

$50,000 platinum grill worn by rapper Lil Jon

A New Photo Book Showcases the Absurd Extravagance of the World’s Wealthiest Citizens

Economic recession or not, there are few limits on the ways the mega-rich will flaunt their fortunes

In 2015, Misty Copeland became the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre.

Ballerina Misty Copeland on Working With Prince, Her Must-See Dances, and Why She Wants to Bring “Ballet Across America”

Ahead of a performance in Washington, D.C., the prima ballerina talks about ballerina bodies and misconceptions about the art form

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson Was Fiercer Than You Think

A new biopic shows the poet as more than a mysterious recluse

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Why Is Pennsylvania Ave D.C.’s Main Thoroughfare and More Questions From Our Readers

Your questions answered by our experts

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