April 2020
Smithsonian magazine delivers trusted and incisive reporting on history, science, nature, culture and travel.
Features
The Comeback
Long victimized by poaching and deforestation, Africa’s mountain gorillas are in the midst of a surprising rebound that is sparking new hopes for the beloved primate
Surge Engine
A bold approach to generating clean electricity faces the ultimate test—the greatest tide on earth
The Ship in the Ice
Lethal temperatures. Howling winds. Polar bears. On a dangerous expedition, researchers have spent all winter in the Arctic to shed light on exactly how the world is changing
Mind Craft
Understanding how Asian elephants think—in order to save them
Wild Man
Fed up with invasive species and sterile landscapes, an ecologist urges Americans to go native and go natural—and remake every backyard, office park and traffic island
Departments
Discussion
Your feedback on our coverage of women's history, wolverines and Madame C.J. Walker
Hello, World
When this magazine first appeared 50 years ago this month, it was happy to join the fray
Picture Window
How do you select one image to represent half a century of photography and art? You don’t
The Case Against the Car
In a famous 1970 mock trial, prosecutors hammered away at the nation’s most powerful defendant
Cloud Control
Everyone complains about the weather. These scientists and inventors set out to change it
Hail to the Earth
A homemade banner signals the surprisingly broad appeal of a new American movement
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