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The cesspit under the Somerset House is nearly 15 feet deep and contained almost 100 artifacts.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth Trove of Medieval Artifacts in London Cesspit

The precursor to the toilet was probably an easy place to throw away—or lose—small objects

Félicette, a former stray who was sent into space by French researchers in 1963, now has a bronze statue in her honor at France's International Space University.

Félicette, the First Cat in Space, Finally Gets a Memorial

Last month, a team unveiled a bronze statue honoring the feline, who launched on a suborbital mission in 1963

Luca Parmitano and Christina Koch with milk and a cookie.

The First Cookies Baked in Space Have Returned to Earth

They took up to 130 minutes to bake, but the cookies could help scientists make future space missions a little more palatable

The remains of Takabuti, a young woman who was murdered in the 7th century B.C. in Egypt

This 2,600-Year-Old Mummy Died in a Violent Backstabbing

Researchers concluded she was murdered by someone who forced a blade into her chest from behind

Witch bottles, or talismans designed to ward off evil spirits, were more commonly employed across the pond in the United Kingdom.

Cool Finds

Suspected ‘Witch Bottle’ Full of Nails Found in Virginia

Archaeologists unearthed the blue glass bottle near the hearth of a small fort used during the Civil War

Following the news of the death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, this 2007 portrait by Rick Chapman is now on view at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.

Trending Today

Smithsonian Historians Reflect on Kobe Bryant’s Legacy as His Portrait Goes on View

A 2007 photograph of the N.B.A. All-Star offers visitors a chance to pay their respects

An artist's illustration of Allosaurus jimmadseni, a newly described species of Jurassic carnivore

Newly Described Meat-Eating Dinosaur Dominated During the Jurassic Period

The new species is the oldest Allosaurus described yet and was a top predator of its time

A statue of Pliny the Elder at the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore in Como, Italy

Cool Finds

This 2,000-Year-Old Skull May Belong to Pliny the Elder

The Roman statesman launched a rescue mission when Vesuvius erupted but lost his life in the process

The rain brought relief from fire, but coaxed funnel spiders from their hideouts.

Australia Rains Bring Relief From Fires—and a Surge in Deadly Spiders

Encouraged by wet and hot conditions, male funnel-webs spiders are venturing out to find mates

The remains of a pre-Hispanic temazcal recently found in Mexico City

Cool Finds

14th-Century Steam Bath Found in Mexico City

The discovery has helped archaeologists pinpoint the location of the ancient neighborhood of Temazcaltitlan

Nesyamun was a priest and scribe whose duties included ritualistic chanting and singing.

Education During Coronavirus

Listen to the Recreated Voice of a 3,000-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy

Media outlets have likened the sound to a “brief groan,” a “long, exasperated ‘meh’ without the ‘m,’” and “rather like ‘eeuuughhh’”

Portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama painted by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, respectively

Trending Today

The National Portrait Gallery’s Obama Portraits Will Embark on a Five-City Tour

Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald’s paintings of Barack and Michelle Obama are set to visit Chicago, Brooklyn, L.A., Atlanta and Houston

Researchers monitored the decay of feral pig carcasses to understand what happens to ecosystems where many animals have died at once

To Study Mass Die-Offs, Scientists Dumped 15 Tons of Feral Pig Carcasses Into a Field

The rotting, putrefying bodies flooded with insects, attracted scavengers and devastated local plants and microbes

"Tardigrades are definitely not the almost indestructible organism,” says Ricardo Neves.

New Research

High Temperatures Might Be Water Bears’ Achilles Heel

Tardigrades are known for their resilience, but a new study shows they can’t bear hours in the heat

Adult mayflies following an emergence on Lake Erie.

Massive Mayfly Swarms Are Getting Smaller—and That’s Bad News for Aquatic Ecosystems

The drop is a sign that the insects’ populations are threatened, which could negatively affect the animals that feed on them

A shiny black fragment found within the victim’s skull likely represents remnants of the man’s brain, which was subjected to such searing heat that it turned into glass.

Vesuvius’ Scorching Eruption Turned a Man’s Brain Into Glass

A new study reports on a shimmering black substance found in one victim’s skull

A Louvre curator purchased the looted artwork during a 1942 auction.

Art Historian Identifies Ten Nazi-Looted Paintings in the Louvre’s Collections

Emmanuelle Polack made the discovery less than one month after she was brought on board to study the museum’s ill-gotten artwork

A sculpture of two bulls, originally carved in the second century A.D., looted from Afghanistan's Kabul Museum almost 30 years ago

After 30 Years, Looted Kushan Bull Sculpture Will Return to Afghanistan’s Kabul Museum

The artifact is one of thousands left destroyed, damaged or missing after civil war broke out in the 1990s

A mathematical model suggests coarser grinds might make for better, more consistent espresso with a lower price tag.

Mathematically Speaking, You’re Probably Grinding Your Espresso Too Finely

The secret to consistently tasty, cost-effective espresso is a coarser grind, according to mathematical models

Despite how this iguana looks, it is actually note dead, just cold-stunned. It will likely thaw-out as the sun warms it back up.

Florida’s Weather Forecast? Cold, With a Chance of Iguanas

Stunned by chilly weather, the invasive lizards were dropping out of trees in the Sunshine State

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