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Photos

From Badlands, by Tomeu Coll, 2005-6.

Shooting Stars: Donna Ferrato presents Tomeu Coll

The young photographer makes far-flung expeditions to capture life at the outer reaches of the world

From Falls the Shadow, a series by Sirio Magnabosco, 2010.

Shooting Stars: David Burnett presents Sirio Magnabosco

According to the acclaimed photojournalist, Magnabosco’s work reminds you why you liked photography in the first place

From the series Collages, by Delphine Diaw Diallo, 2011.

Shooting Stars: William Coupon presents Delphine Diaw Diallo

Diallo’s photos combine pop culture and African roots with an American vernacular

From a series about her son’s illness, by Pilar Belmonte, 2004.

Shooting Stars: Sylvia Plachy presents Pilar Belmonte

Belmonte found her personal voice as a photographer during a time of family crisis

Top Ten Demonstrations of Love

The inventor, the celebrity and the royal highness couldn’t resist the draw of making a grand gesture to the love of their life

The scientific name of the ox-eyed oreo is Oreosoma atlanticum. Oreosoma, meaning "mountain body," refers to the peaks protruding from the fish's underbelly.

What You See When You Turn a Fish Inside Out

Scientists use X-rays to classify different species, but when viewed outside the lab, the images provide stunning art

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Wild Things: Yeti Crabs, Guppies and Ravens

Tree killers and the first beds ever round up this month in wildlife news

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Nine Ways to Lure a Lover, Orchid-Style

Beauty, mystery and deceit—the Smithsonian’s collection of nearly 8,000 live orchids has it all

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The Best Visuals from Smithsonian and the Web

Explore stunning videos, photos and interactive features on our Tumblr

Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home in Memphis, has been kept largely as it was when he lived there, from 1957 until his death in 1977. Dining room mirrors reflect a stairway to the private quarters.

Annie Leibovitz’s American Pilgrimage

In a new book and exhibition, the esteemed photographer pursues a passion for history and lets us see familiar icons in a fresh light

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Wild Things: Killer Whales, Spiders and Woodpeckers

Yellow saddle goatfish, mastodon ribs and more in this month’s summary of wildlife news

Photos: The Scariest Santas You’ll Ever See

Browse our selected illustrations of some of the strangest and creepiest Santa Clauses ever put down on paper

Big Southern elephant seal bulls (Mirounga leonina) fighting for females on beach during breeding season in spring.

Wild Things: Piranhas, Nazca Boobies, Glowing Millipedes

Elephant Seals, Neanderthal evolution and more news from the world of science

Carole Pohn, with her children Jennifer and Andy in 1962 or '63, says photographer Vivian Maier called her "the only civilized person" in the Chicago suburb where they were neighbors.

Vivian Maier: The Unheralded Street Photographer

A chance find has rescued the work of the camera-toting baby sitter, and gallery owners are taking notice

On the western coast of Hawaii there is a large, raised platform of stacked lava rock. The terrace, a sacred temple called Hikiau Heiau, dates to the 18th century, if not earlier.

Six Sacred Sites of Hawaii

Take a tour of the idyllic sites across the many islands where native Hawaiians have longstanding spiritual connections

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Wild Things: Feathered dinosaurs, king crabs and spotted hyenas

Traveling snails, brainwashed rats and more updates from the world of wildlife

Ninety percent of Mount Rushmore was carved using dynamite.

The Making of Mount Rushmore

The 70th anniversary of the completion of the South Dakota monument prompts a look back at what it took to create it

Aerial view of the city of Leiden, Holland

The Pilgrims Before Plymouth

A tour of the Dutch city of Leiden yields new insights into a chapter of the Thanksgiving story not taught in schools

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Wild Things: Wildcats, Pigeons and More…

Sea monster mamas, bat signals and opossum versus viper

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A New Look at the Men of Baseball’s Past

Charles Conlon’s classic photographs of baseball players from the early 20th century offer a glimpse into a familiar sport at an otherworldly time

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