Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Smart News

Archaeologists excavated the foundations of a carcer, or holding cell, where gladiators, doomed prisoners and wild animals waited before being brought into the Richborough Roman amphitheater in Kent.

Cool Finds

Holding Cell for Gladiators, Doomed Prisoners Found at Roman Amphitheater in England

Researchers initially thought the structure was a passageway to the ancient arena

A view of the Anahuacalli Museum's main "temple" structure, which was inspired by Aztec architecture and completed in 1964

Diego Rivera’s Utopian ‘City of the Arts’ Debuts 64 Years After the Artist’s Death

The Anahuacalli Museum has expanded its campus to create a community art center first envisioned by the Mexican muralist in 1941

New Zealand's long-tailed bats are about the size of a human thumb and weigh less than a tablespoon of sugar.

New Zealand’s Bird of the Year Is… a Bat

The winged mammal is critically endangered and won the award to raise awareness about their existence and importance to the island ecosystem

None

Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads? New Study Offers Clues

The adorable behavior may be a sign of concentration and memory recall

Results from clinical trials show Pfizer’s vaccine was around 91 percent effective in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 infections in kids ages 5 to 11.

CDC Recommends Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine for Children Ages 5 to 11

About 28 million kids are immediately eligible for the safe and effective lower-dose vaccine

The Srivijaya Empire was known for its wealth and dominance of maritime trade routes.

Cool Finds

Indonesian Divers Discover Treasures From Enigmatic ‘Island of Gold’

Archaeological evidence of the Srivijaya Empire is limited, but recent finds made along the Musi River may shed light on the mysterious civilization

Archaeologist Rachel Wood holds a Roman bust found at the site of a Norman church.

Cool Finds

Trio of ‘Astounding’ Roman Statues Found Beneath Medieval Church in England

The well-preserved sculptures—believed to have stood in an ancient mausoleum—depict a woman, man and child

Metal sulfides left behind by anaerobic bacteria and the breakdown of iron artifacts were sopped by the wood while the ship was submerged.

‘Bacteria Poop’ Is Breaking Down Henry VIII’s Favorite Ship

When the ship sunk in 1545, marine bacteria started eating away at the hull

The California condor's population stooped dangerously low to 22 individuals in the 1980s, and scientists have been running a captive breeding program since then to save these birds.

California Condors Surprise Scientists With Two ‘Virgin Births’

Genetic data revealed that two females laid fatherless eggs

Using CRISPR technology, scientists plan to modify the strawberries' genes to improve their shelf life, extend the growing season and reduce food waste.

Using CRISPR Technology, Scientists Plan to Grow a More Durable Strawberry

If successful, these will be the first gene-edited strawberries to be sold commercially

The tomb was decorated with colorful painted scenes.

Cool Finds

Tomb of Ramses II’s Treasurer Unearthed at Saqqara Necropolis

Carved scenes in the grave depict the life of Ptah-M-Wia, an important figure in the 19th-Dynasty pharaoh’s government

Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF (short for "mischief") sold 999 fake Warhol drawings and 1 real print. All the works are billed as identical, making it impossible for consumers to know for certain if they own the "authentic" print.

For Sale: One Real Warhol Print, Hidden Among 999 Fakes

Collective MSCHF sold the 1,000 drawings for $250 each in a stunt designed to draw attention to authenticity in the art world

Studded with gems and carvings of classical figures, the two tiaras and accompanying jewelry are expected to sell for between $410,000 and $690,000.

Two Tiaras Once Owned by Josephine Bonaparte Are Up for Auction

Napoleon’s empress was an early 19th-century style icon. Now, two of her diadems are on sale at Sotheby’s

In areas where the auroras are normally observed, many individuals took to social media to share spectacular photos of atmospheric phenomena. The photo seen here was taken in Teriberka, Russia.

 

Halloween Weekend Auroras Dazzle Northern United States, Canada and Russia

The light display was caused by a category X solar flare that erupted on October 28

The island's volcano has entered its sixth week of eruption and shows no signs of stopping. As seismic activity continues to increase, La Palma could be hit with an earthquake measuring a six on the Richter magnitude scale.

Spain’s La Palma Volcano Continues to Erupt and Spew Ash

The volcano has covered over 2,000 acres of land with lava

The recent decision expands vaccine eligibility to roughly 28 million American children.

FDA Authorizes Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine for Kids 5 to 11

The lower-dose vaccine could be administered as soon as this Wednesday, pending CDC approval

Researchers have tentatively dated the canoe to between 830 and 950 C.E.

Cool Finds

Well-Preserved Maya Canoe Found in Mexico May Be 1,000 Years Old

Researchers discovered the boat and other artifacts linked to the pre-Hispanic civilization near the ruins of Chichén Itzá

The Denver Art Museum's newly renovated campus, with the 50,000-square-foot Sie Welcome Center in the foreground

Denver Art Museum’s Much-Anticipated Renovation Centers Indigenous Voices

The four-year, $150 million project added 30,000 square feet of exhibition space to the Colorado museum’s high-rise building

DNA analysis of a lock of hair taken from Sitting Bull confirms that a South Dakota man is the Lakota leader's great-grandson.

New Research

DNA Analysis Confirms Claim of Sitting Bull Descendant

Formerly in the Smithsonian collections, a lock of hair taken from the Lakota leader verifies South Dakota man is his great-grandson

The CDC added mental health disorders to the list of primarily physical conditions that increase the risk of Covid-19 hospitalization or death. 

The Future of Mental Health

The CDC Adds Mental Health Conditions to High-Risk Covid-19 List

The addition of mood disorders expands the list of Americans eligible for booster shots by millions

Page 341 of 1116