Kate Winslet plays Mary Anning in 'Ammonite'

Science in the Movies

‘Ammonite’ Is Historical Fan Fiction About the World’s First Great Fossil Hunter

A new trailer previews the period drama featuring Kate Winslet as pioneering paleontologist Mary Anning

A robotic arm places a container with three panels of bacteria outside the International Space Station.

Scientists Discover Exposed Bacteria Can Survive in Space for Years

An experiment conducted outside the International Space Station leads to a controversial theory about how life might travel between planets

Cars line up at a drive-in coronavirus testing site in Miami Gardens, Florida, in late June. Testing in many states has been hampered by bottlenecks and long delays, problems that could be eased by the rapid, simple tests scientists are now developing.

Covid-19

Scientists Are Racing to Develop Paper-Based Tests for Covid-19

Inexpensive—and potentially at-home—tools could take only minutes to tell if someone is infected

Fabien Cousteau's Proteus will be the first underwater research habitat built in decades.

Jacques Cousteau’s Grandson Wants to Build the International Space Station of the Sea

Off the coast of Curaçao, at a depth of 60 feet, aquanaut Fabien Cousteau is looking to create the world’s largest underwater research habitat

The Smithsonian’s National Mosquito Collection has about 1.9 million specimens from around the world that researchers use to study diseases like malaria.

Smithsonian Voices

Meet the Smithsonian’s Mosquito Keeper

Scientist Yvonne Linton reveals what it means to oversee a world-renowned collection of 1.9 million specimens

A young boy in Benin, in West Africa, receives a bed net designed to help prevent malaria.

Covid-19

How Covid-19’s Spread Could Drive an Increase in Malaria Deaths

Health professionals worry the pandemic could stress resources and lead to misdiagnosis in Africa

In the first days, Mei Xiang kept the cub mostly hidden, but a new photograph and video recently revealed the new arrival—born at 6:35 on August 21, 2020.

Pandamonium

Giant Panda Mama Gives Birth to Baby Cub at National Zoo

The pink, squeaking infant is about the size of a stick of butter and will be named in 100 days

About 70 miles south of the Natural History Museum, Westmoreland State Park’s Fossil Beach is a hotbed for prehistoric shark teeth.

Five Places Where You Can Collect Fossils in the D.C. Area

You don’t have to venture far to make awesome finds

Amelia Earhart mounted publicity stunts to earn money for her flights.

Ask Smithsonian

How Did Amelia Earhart Raise the Money for Her Flights?

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Riker Laboratories advertised its new device for treating asthma in 1957—two years after a teenager’s truly inspiring suggestion.

The History of the Asthma Inhaler

How a brilliant quip led to a treatment that helps millions every minute

The Mississippi Delta, seen from space in 2001.

America's Waterways: The Past, Present and Future

The 70 Million-Year-Old History of the Mississippi River

Dive into the secret past and uncertain future of the body of water that has defined a nation

Concert attendees cheer at an event in Porto, Portugal, on August 15, 2020.

Covid-19

What Super-Spreading Events Teach Us About Protecting Ourselves From COVID-19

Scientists are increasingly finding that a small number of people may be the source of many cases

The rusted pirate fishing vessel STS-50 evaded authorities time and time again—until its luck ran out.

The Hunt for the Modern-Day Pirates Who Steal Millions of Tons of Fish From the Seas

These criminal actors threaten fragile species, forcing an international coalition to track them down

Everyone, it seems, has tried sourdough during the lockdown. But that ubiquitous jar of starter contains a dynamic microbial ecosystem that scientists are only beginning to understand.

The Scientific Secrets Behind Making Great Sourdough Bread

Scientists explain how simple steps can change a starter’s microbial community and allow bakers to up their game

Allied freighters ablaze in the harbor of Bari, Italy, after the German attack.

How a Chemical Weapons Disaster in WWII Led to a U.S. Cover-Up—and a New Cancer Treatment

The physician who led the investigation into a deadly explosion in Italy found the truth, and some hope

Protected land near Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, above, was one of the sites studied in the new analysis of tree lines in the Canadian Rockies.

Because of Climate Change, Canada’s Rocky Mountain Forests Are on the Move

Using century-old surveying photos, scientists have mapped 100 years of change in the Canadian Rockies to document the climate-altered landscape

Since late July, Mei Xiang has been sleeping more, eating less, nest-building and body-licking—all signs that she is preparing for a newborn.

Pandamonium

Is There a New Baby Panda Due at the National Zoo?

An ultrasound today revealed that the National Zoo’s resident giant panda, Mei Xiang, could be expecting

Viruses, notably influenza A and Morbillivirus, cause mass die-offs with striking head counts.

Mass Die-Offs of Marine Mammals Are on the Rise

Viral and bacteria outbreaks are increasingly causing fatalities in a variety of species, including seals and dolphins

A lifelike restoration using the remains of a baby woolly rhinoceros recovered from the Siberian permafrost. The specimen was nicknamed Sasha after the hunter who discovered it.

Climate Change, Not Hunting, May Have Doomed the Woolly Rhinoceros

Populations of the Ice Age icon were healthy right up until their extinction, suggesting they crashed precipitously as the planet warmed

A customer talks to a waiter in a mask while eating his meal at a table divided with transparent panels in Bangalore, India.

Covid-19

What Scientists Know About Airborne Transmission of the New Coronavirus

Aerosol experts, from engineers to doctors, weigh in on the ability of tiny droplets to transmit the virus that causes COVID-19

Page 80 of 456