Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Smart News

None

This Floating Marine Laboratory Aims to Make Ocean Exploration Cool Again

The SeaOrbiter’s primary purpose is for marine research, but it also aims to inspire

Franz Marc’s Horses in a Landscape was one of the recovered pieces of art.

A Trove of Art, Recovered Decades After Nazis Stole It, Is Going On Virtual Display

After more than 70 years, these great works of art are starting to go online

None

The Current Outbreak of a Dolphin-Killing Virus Is the Deadliest in History

Based on past disease events, researchers estimate that this current cycle of the outbreak is likely only at the half way point

A páramo ecosystem in the Andes.

This Spot in the Andes May Be the Fastest-Evolving Place on Earth

Like isolated islands, evolution in these mountainous, unique environments seems to be ticking away at a faster beat than run-of-the-mill habitats

The Price of a Starbucks Coffee Has Nothing To Do With the Price of Coffee Beans

Despite the dropping price of coffee don’t expect your Starbucks receipt to get any lighter

Before the World Cup, Brazilians Are Trying to Learn English

Brazilians have 211 days left to prepare for the World Cup one of the things many of them are doing to get ready is to try and learn English

Moscow Will Give You a Free Subway Ticket If You Do 30 Squats

The Moscow subway system will now reward riders with a free trip in exchange for 30 squats

None

This Scientist Let a Flea Live Inside Her In Order to Study It

To what lengths would you go for science?

None

Sleep Experts Have No Idea What the Most Common Nightmare Is

Past studies only represented a specific group and method of studying nightmares, and all came up with variable top results

Washington Monument Scaffolding Is Coming Down Today

Two years later, the scaffolding around the Washington Monument is ready to come down

None

This Antique Polar Bear Robot Blows Bubbles

It turns out that even early robot makers were all about the polar bear

Learning Another Language Could Help Delay Dementia

Kids who know two languages think faster and more creatively. And research even suggests that being bilingual could fortify the brain against dementia

None

Watch a Cougar Grab a Salmon off a Zipline

More food should be delivered by zipline

Woodwind Players Who Don’t Clean Their Instrument Risk Growing Colonies of Infective Fungi

Brass players aren’t off the hook, either

The USPS Will Make Sunday Deliveries Just for Amazon

The US Postal Service announced that it would make special Sunday deliveries for Amazon.com customers

Conrad Heyer, a Revolutionary War Veteran, Was the Earliest-Born American To Ever Be Photographed

Conrad Heyer fought with Washington in the Revolutionary War

None

Listen to “Huh”—a Universal Word—in Russian, Icelandic, Lao And Siwu

Researchers think “huh” is a great example of “convergent cultural evolution of linguistic items,” or a word that came out of a conversational need

Porcupines can be vicious killers. But not this one. This one is adorable.

Porcupine Quills Can Kill

Researchers in Italy watched porcupines corner a dog and stab it to death

You don’t need to take Google’s personality test; you’re already revealing enough on Twitter.

Analyzing Your Tweets Could Help Advertisers Understand Your Personality And Sell You More Stuff

By scraping your tweets, these researchers can get insight into your personality

None

Pollution May Be Crippling Chinese Men’s Sperm

The problem likely reaches beyond China, as some researchers have reported a worldwide decline in average sperm counts

Page 987 of 1115