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From the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center

When Steve Fossett Became the Magellan of the Skies

Ten years ago, the pioneering adventurer took off in pursuit of a new record in circumnavigation

DNA from Richard III’s bones revealed two instances of royal infidelity since the 14th century.

They Found Richard III. So Now What?

What the remains of the “hunchback” king can teach us about other English royals

Were the Terracotta Warriors Based on Actual People?

To answer that question, archaeologists are looking at variations in the soldiers’ ears

Björk’s music video “All Is Full of Love” received wide acclaim and was deemed a milestone in computer graphics. In 2011, it was placed in Time’s list of The 30 All-TIME Best Music Videos.

Bjork Is Getting a Retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art

The Icelandic singer’s iconic style will be on view at the New York institution

The Spiritualist Who Warned Lincoln Was Also Booth’s Drinking Buddy

What did Charles Colchester know and when did he know it?

Crowds make their way through the Shibuya District in Tokyo, home to a key railway station and one of its busiest neighborhoods.

What Makes Humans Different? Fiction and Cooperation

Historian Yuval Noah Harari previews his book on the past and future of Homo sapiens

A gala celebrated the opening of “Sade: Marquis of the Shadows, Prince of the Enlightment” at the Museum of Letters and Manuscripts.

Who Was the Marquis de Sade?

Even in the age of Fifty Shades of Grey, the 18th-century libertine is as shocking as ever

The scales on Fragment C divide the year by days and signs of the zodiac.

Decoding the Antikythera Mechanism, the First Computer

Hidden inscriptions offer new clues to the origins of a mysterious astronomical mechanism

History’s most impressive hoard of ancient Greek artifacts includes numerous amphoras, terra-cotta lamps, glass vessels, coins, jewelry and statues.

Exploring the Titanic of the Ancient World

Scientists search the wine-dark sea for the remains of a ship that sank 2,000 years ago—carrying what is believed to be the world’s first computer

From the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Why Malcolm X Still Speaks Truth to Power

More than 50 years after his death, Malcolm X remains a towering figure whose passionate writings have enduring resonance

A New View of the Battle of Gallipoli, One of the Bloodiest Conflicts of World War I

The Turks are now rethinking their historic victory in the terrible battle

Tony the Tiger, a 550-pound Siberian-Bengal mix, lives in a cage at a Louisiana truck stop.

America Has a Tiger Problem And No One’s Sure How to Solve It

No one even knows how many of the big cats are in the United States

Can the Siberian Tiger Make a Comeback?

In Russia’s Far East, an orphaned female tiger is the test case in an experimental effort to save one of the most endangered animals on earth

Zhao Hua Hong is one of the last living foot-binding practitioners.

Why Footbinding Persisted in China for a Millennium

Despite the pain, millions of Chinese women stood firm in their devotion to the tradition

The International Space Station Will Soon Be Able to Measure Forest Density Using Lasers

Strengthening the planet’s forests is one critical way to combat climate change

Do Wolves Wag Their Tails Like Dogs and More Questions From Our Readers

Other questions ask if DNA testing has led to the redesignation of species

The Wrists of Birds Reveal Evolution Undoing Itself

Contrary to earlier claims, a new study shows that evolution may be reversible

The Clermont traveled the Hudson at an astonishing five miles per hour.

The Unbelievable Success of the American Steamship

How “Fulton’s Folly” transformed the nation’s landscape

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From our readers

Unpublished Photos by Gordon Parks Bring a Nuanced View of 1950s Black America

An exhibit in Boston highlights unpublished photos from the acclaimed Life magazine photographer

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