The Secrets of How Life Began May Be Hidden Inside the World’s Oldest Rocks
Smithsonian researchers trekked to a remote site in northern Canada to collect four-billion-year-old rock samples that could unlock mysteries about Earth’s earliest history
Smithsonian Voices
National Museum of Natural History
How a 162-Year-Old Specimen Helped Prove the Existence of an ‘Incredulous’ Lizard Species
Latest
Capuchin Monkeys Caught on Camera ‘Abducting’ Baby Howler Monkeys in a Strange Tradition Seen for the First Time
Scientists on Panama’s Jicarón Island were mystified by photos and videos of young male capuchins carrying howler monkeys on their backs for days at a time
This Simple but Ingenious Instrument Helped the World Measure Carbon Dioxide Levels in the Atmosphere
Scientist Charles Keeling’s invention had a profound effect on scientists’ understanding of the severity of the climate change crisis
The Secrets of How Life Began May Be Hidden Inside the World’s Oldest Rocks
Smithsonian researchers trekked to a remote site in northern Canada to collect four-billion-year-old rock samples that could unlock mysteries about Earth’s earliest history
What Happened to FDR’s Fireside Chats? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
Amaze Yourself With the Unbelievable Story of Bessie Coleman, the Black Aviator Who Wowed the Nation With Her High-Flying Achievements
Long before the Tuskegee Airmen, Coleman inspired a generation of pilots to take to the skies
Discover the Dreamy Beauty of Jamaica’s Beaches, Mountains and Plant Life in These Captivating Pictures
A photographer’s trip to the island yields images that showcase its stunning terrain and vibrant culture
Trailblazing Filmmaker Ava DuVernay Receives the Smithsonian’s Great Americans Medal
DuVernay is the first director, writer and producer to earn the honor, which recognizes “lifetime contributions embodying American ideas and ideals”
These Irreplaceable Yiddish Artifacts Would Have Been Lost to History If They Weren’t Evacuated to New York After World War II
The founding of a research institute 100 years ago has helped to provide insight on Yiddish culture in the United States and around the world
This Artist’s Powerful Abstract Pieces Reimagine What a Painting Is
Adam Pendleton brings his geometric artworks to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Discover the Centuries-Old Japanese Matcha Tea Ceremonies That Last for Hours and Require Beautiful Utensils
A new exhibition at the National Museum of Asian Art showcases the longtime cultural meaning in the practice of chanoyu
Meet This Year’s Winners of the Portrait of a Nation Award, Including Steven Spielberg and Temple Grandin
Portraits of the honorees, who have made “transformative contributions to the United States,” will be added to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery
See the Mesmerizing Interlocking Geometric Patterns Produced With This Ancient Japanese Woodworking Technique
The art form, known as kumiko, is now practiced by designers from around the world
The Controversial History of the Word ‘Hillbilly,’ Which Was First Defined in Print 125 Years Ago
In 1900, a political writer described the “hill-billie” as someone who “talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him.” Since then, the label has been used in both mockery and pride
Fifty Years Ago, This Irresistible Disco Song and Dance Craze Swept the Nation and Changed the Music Landscape
Disco music’s time in the sun may have passed, but the legacy of “The Hustle,” a mega hit in the genre, lives on
In the 1980s, This Special Camera Helped Turn Astronauts Into Cinematographers to Shoot the First Imax Movie Ever Filmed in Space
The groundbreaking work, “The Dream Is Alive,” celebrates its 40th anniversary this year
Inside the Epic Migrations of North America’s Most Fascinating Shorebirds, From Godwits to Curlews
Ornithologist Bruce Beehler tracks down what he calls the “Magnificent Seven,” a charismatic group of migratory birds, in his new book
How ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ Introduced the ‘First Lady of Children’s Music’ to a Large National Audience
When musician Ella Jenkins appeared on the show, she brought Black diasporic music and her signature songs to televisions across America
See for Yourself One of the World’s Rarest Red Diamonds at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum
Unraveling the surprising science that gives colorful diamonds their special allure
How Do Space Programs Get Their Names? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
A Peculiar, Short-Lived Office at the Smithsonian Once Explored Reports of Bizarre Natural Phenomena
From surprising squirrel migrations to islands popping up out of nowhere, the organization’s scientists tracked strange events as they happened
Page 1 of 270