May 2014
Smithsonian magazine delivers trusted and incisive reporting on history, science, nature, culture and travel.
Features
Listening to the Big Bang
A remote telescope finds support for a revolutionary theory about the formation of the universe
The White Veil
How did Peter Matthiessen’s lifelong quest for peace lead him to one of the most horrifying places on earth?
Brave New Words
How America’s leading science fiction authors are shaping your future
Mind Craft
The most futuristic medical treatment ever imagined is now a reality. But it won’t be long before brain implants are even more amazing—and troubling
Command Performance
Patrick Stewart, who has led starships and mutants, returns from the future to talk about science and science fiction
Hot Enough For You?
Devastating droughts, killer storms, flooded cities, raging tropical diseases—you’ve heard that climate change promises a host of catastrophes. But the reality of a hotter world will probably be more subtle—and it’s already here
Science Friction
Our new poll reveals that Americans love technology but they’re a bit freaked out by what may be waiting for them in the near future
Signs of Life
Planetary scientist Sara Seager has turned tragedy into tenacity in her search for new Earths among the stars
Almost Human
How R2-D2 became the most beloved robot in the galaxy
Inventing the Real McCoy
The fantastic tricorder device that “Bones” used to scan aliens on “Star Trek” is nearly at hand—in your cellphone. And it promises to be cheaper and smarter than anything even Spock could dream up