Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Smart News

By Painting Their Markings, This Scientist Disrupted Birds’ Social Structure

A few lines of black paint was all it took to destroy these Pūkekos’ social standing

Drivers Are More Likely to Brake at Yellow Lights If They’ve Just Seen a Depressing Billboard

After seeing positive or neutral ads before a yellow light, drivers were more likely to run it. But after negative ads, they were more likely to break

This is how many days I have left.

Can This App Predict Your Death?

When are you going to die? You probably don’t know the answer to that question - but if you download this app you could find out. Sort of

Two BlizzCon attendees dress up as Blood Elves, a race from the World of Warcraft.

The NSA Was Spying in World of Warcraft

And in Second Life

A Google Doodle That Honors Computer Programmer Grace Hopper

Hopper was a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, and in 1959 she helped create COBOL—a program that the military and banks still use today

You Can Be Really Good at Certain Skills Without Having Any Idea How They Work

How well do you know the tools you use every day?

A more Earthly Mordor.

Which U.S. City Most Resembles Mordor? A British Climate Scientist Found Out

Mordor is basically Los Angeles

Can Crowds Predict the Future?

You probably shouldn’t rely on crowd wisdom to make personal decisions, but when it comes to global outcomes, the crowd might be smarter than you think

Why Do Moose Fight So Much?

The point isn’t actually to gore the other moose with your antlers, but rather to push harder and show that you’re stronger

This is the First Selfie. Ever.

Not new at all, the world’s first selfie was snapped in 1839

A screenshot from the game Airport Scanner.

It’s Relatively Easy to Spot Water Bottles in Airport Scanners; Guns, Not So Much

Researchers plan to examine whether the same tendencies to overlook uncommon items exist among trained TSA professionals, just as it does gamers

Watch Some of the Most Important Moments of Nelson Mandela’s Life

Former South African president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela has passed away

Without Nutrients From Conventional Farms, Yields of Organic Crops Could Go Down

Many of the nutrients flowing through organic farms still ultimately derive from conventional farms

This part of the planet would have looked a whole lot different.

America Was Almost Two Separate Continents

The east and the west were nearly different continents

New York Might Never Top the 1949 Rockefeller Center Tree

Although this years tree will have far more lights (45,000 in total) it won’t be quite the silver, spinning whirlwind of 1949

Seattle Seahawks Fans Caused an Earthquake This Week

Seattle fans take pride their stadium and ability to be loud. But to anyone’s knowledge, the 12th Man causing an earthquake is a first

A mugger crocodile balances twigs on its nose to tempt birds

Crocodiles Balance Twigs on Their Heads to Lure Nest-Building Birds

While crocodiles and alligators are stereotyped as “lethargic, stupid and boring,” researchers say the reptiles are more cunning than they seem

All turnips, all the time.

The Moon: The Only Place in the Universe Anyone’s Excited About Turnips

Someone at NASA has a real thing for turnips

This Curious Eagle Stole a Video Camera And Filmed Its Bird’s-Eye View of the World

A feathery theif scooped up a wildlife video camera and took it on a 70-odd-mile ride

Disney’s childhood home in Chicago (on the corner), as depicted by Google Street View.

Walt Disney’s Childhood Home May Soon Be a Museum

The new owners may return the house to the same conditions it was in when young Disney ran through its halls

Page 1008 of 1143