Special Report
The Innovative Spirit
A look at how creative thinkers within the Smithsonian and beyond are changing our world for the better
A Century Ago, This Eerie-Sounding Instrument Ushered in Electronic Music
Now, the theremin—a strange little invention that translates hand gestures into pitch and volume—could make a comeback
You Can Thank Chemist Stephanie Kwolek for Bulletproof Vests and Yoga Pants
The long-serving researcher at DuPont invented kevlar and contributed to spandex
This New Dye Changes Color When Exposed to UV Light
Color-change shoes, jewelry, cars, furniture and more could be possible with this new MIT technology
Patent History
The Scientist Behind Some of Our Favorite Junk Foods
William A. Mitchell invented Cool Whip, Pop Rocks, Tang and other 20th-century treats
When Twister Was Too Risqué for America
The hugely successful game, patented 50 years ago this week, had its critics at first
How the Escalator Forever Changed Our Sense of Space
Sure, the 19th-century invention transformed shopping. But it also revolutionized how we think about the built environment
The Voting Machine That Displayed Different Ballots Based on Your Sex
In an era of partial suffrage, these inventions helped women cast their votes
How the Wiffle Ball Came to Be
Patented in 1957, the lightweight ball saved players' arms and more than a few windows
How the Invention of Scotch Tape Led to a Revolution in How Companies Managed Employees
College dropout Richard Drew became an icon of 20th century innovation, inventing cellophane tape, masking tape and more
Innovation at the Smithsonian
How Susan Kare Designed User-Friendly Icons for the First Macintosh
The graphic designer is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from Cooper Hewitt for her recognizable computer icons, typefaces and graphics
Here’s Why A.I. Can’t Be Taken at Face Value
Cooper Hewitt’s new show drills down into the inherent biases lurking within computer intelligence systems
Here’s What’s Brewing in the New Smithsonian Beer Collections
After two years of documenting the nation’s craft brewing industry, curator Theresa McCulla makes ready for a public debut
How Biology Inspires Future Technology
Bioengineers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute showcase their ingenious medical, industrial and environmental designs at the Cooper Hewitt
For 100 Years, KitchenAid Has Been the Stand-Up Brand of Stand Mixers
Even celebrity chef Julia Child said that the sleek appliance made mixing ‘marvelous’
Smithsonian Scientists Are Using Ginkgo Leaves to Study Climate Change—They Need Your Help
Citizen scientists can submit leaf samples from their hometowns through the end of August
Innovation Beyond the Smithsonian
This Robotic Trash Can Takes Itself to the Curb
The award-winning invention automates a ‘chore that everyone hates’
Development of the Lithium-Ion Battery Earns Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The award honors three scientists whose contributions led to the rechargeable battery that makes our modern world possible
Queens Museum Brings Rube Goldberg Machine to Life
To celebrate an exhibition of the cartoonist and hometown hero, curators commissioned one of Rube’s overly complicated gadgets
Designing Floating Buildings With an Eye to the Marine Species Living Underneath
A prototype deployed in San Francisco Bay imagines the underside of a floating building as an upside-down artificial reef
How the Beatles Took Recording Technology to a New Level in ‘Abbey Road’
An expert in sound recording details how the band deployed stereo and synthesizers to put a unique artistic stamp on this iconic album
What Will Humans Eat on Mars?
Planetary scientist Kevin Cannon talks about the logistics of feeding a population of one million on the Red Planet
Five Roles Robots Will Play in the Future of Farming
From picking fruit to pulling weeds, robotics are bringing precision farming to life
Ten Inventive Attempts to Make Camping More Comfortable
Making a stay in the great outdoors more luxe isn’t new—even if glamping and #vanlife are
How Tiny, Microbe-Propelled Bots Could Deliver Drugs in Our Bodies
Researchers are developing ‘hybrid biological microrobots’ to target cancer and do other work in the body
In This Interactive Football League, Fans Pick the Plays
Your Call Football’s streaming app platform lets fans control the actions of real live players, earning points and winning prizes