https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/history/RSS feed for HistoryenFri, 08 May 2026 15:54:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/see-15-united-states-military-forts-captured-in-stunning-compositions-from-the-smithsonian-magazine-photo-contest-180988687/These Army facilities, both active and decomissioned, show the breadth of ways they reflect the fabric of the nationFri, 08 May 2026 15:54:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/see-15-united-states-military-forts-captured-in-stunning-compositions-from-the-smithsonian-magazine-photo-contest-180988687/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/The wreckage of the "Tampa," which was torpedoed by a German submarine, was found 50 miles off the coast of Cornwall, England. The disaster was the largest single American naval combat loss of life during the warThu, 07 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/Known as the "Camarat 4," the ship was loaded with cannons, cauldrons and hundreds of ceramics—which are still visible on the seafloor. Researchers are surveying the site and carefully recovering a small selection of artifactsThu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-souvenir-bowl-may-have-commemorated-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-service-at-hadrians-wall-it-was-discovered-on-a-spanish-farm-1900-years-later-180988665/The artifact is decorated with an illustration of the defensive fortification in northern England, but it was unearthed some 1,200 miles away. A new study suggests the design reflects a soldier’s achievements at the siteMon, 04 May 2026 18:23:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-souvenir-bowl-may-have-commemorated-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-service-at-hadrians-wall-it-was-discovered-on-a-spanish-farm-1900-years-later-180988665/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-lift-a-30000-pound-mast-from-a-warship-built-a-record-breaking-261-years-ago-with-a-really-really-big-crane-180988658/HMS "Victory" served in the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. It's the world’s oldest warship still in commission—but it's in desperate need of repairsFri, 01 May 2026 15:00:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-lift-a-30000-pound-mast-from-a-warship-built-a-record-breaking-261-years-ago-with-a-really-really-big-crane-180988658/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-fled-pompeii-as-mount-vesuvius-erupted-archaeologists-found-him-2000-years-later-holding-a-bowl-to-protect-his-head-and-a-lamp-to-light-his-way-180988647/Recent excavations revealed two skeletons just outside the ancient city's walls. Researchers also created an A.I.-generated reconstruction of one of the victim's harrowing final momentsThu, 30 Apr 2026 15:10:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-fled-pompeii-as-mount-vesuvius-erupted-archaeologists-found-him-2000-years-later-holding-a-bowl-to-protect-his-head-and-a-lamp-to-light-his-way-180988647/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-a-papyrus-fragment-from-the-iliad-tucked-inside-the-wrappings-of-a-1600-year-old-egyptian-mummy-180988603/The excerpt from Homer's epic poem features his catalog of ships, a famous passage listing the Greek forces that sailed to Troy. It may be the first Greek literary text found in the context of mummificationThu, 23 Apr 2026 15:07:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-a-papyrus-fragment-from-the-iliad-tucked-inside-the-wrappings-of-a-1600-year-old-egyptian-mummy-180988603/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-how-san-antonio-colonists-irrigated-crops-and-accessed-drinking-water-180988571/While preparing for school renovations, researchers in Texas found remnants of the historic San Pedro acequia, a centuries-old technology that provided water to the burgeoning villageTue, 21 Apr 2026 17:26:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-how-san-antonio-colonists-irrigated-crops-and-accessed-drinking-water-180988571/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanic-carried-3500-life-jackets-but-almost-all-of-them-have-been-lost-to-history-this-one-just-sold-at-auction-for-nearly-1-million-180988574/The artifact belonged to first-class passenger Laura Mabel Francatelli, a secretary heading to Chicago with her employer. It's the only life vest connected to a survivor of the 1912 shipwreck to ever appear at auctionMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:11:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanic-carried-3500-life-jackets-but-almost-all-of-them-have-been-lost-to-history-this-one-just-sold-at-auction-for-nearly-1-million-180988574/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pirate-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-cape-cod-sets-the-historical-record-straight-on-west-african-gold-180988572/Europeans spread rumors about degraded gold from their Akan trade partners. A new analysis of artifacts from the "Whydah Gally" shipwreck tells a different storyMon, 20 Apr 2026 17:03:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pirate-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-cape-cod-sets-the-historical-record-straight-on-west-african-gold-180988572/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-stone-tools-made-from-geodes-and-fossils-hint-at-homo-erectus-connection-with-the-cosmos-180988565/Archaeologists in Israel unearthed prehistoric hand axes that Homo erectus crafted from stones including fossils and crystals, perhaps a sign that they wanted to connect with the cosmosMon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-stone-tools-made-from-geodes-and-fossils-hint-at-homo-erectus-connection-with-the-cosmos-180988565/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-castle-sits-atop-a-prehistoric-time-capsule-new-excavations-could-reveal-the-history-of-neanderthals-in-britain-180988562/In a cave tucked beneath the Welsh landmark, archaeologists have found evidence of human and animal visits over the past 120,000 years. Now, they're starting a five-year excavation projectMon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-castle-sits-atop-a-prehistoric-time-capsule-new-excavations-could-reveal-the-history-of-neanderthals-in-britain-180988562/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shakespeares-house-in-london-was-lost-to-history-a-scholar-discovered-a-map-in-the-archives-that-revealed-its-exact-location-180988566/The Bard purchased the property three years before his death in 1616. Had he hoped to spend more time in the city where he wrote his best-known plays?Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:46:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shakespeares-house-in-london-was-lost-to-history-a-scholar-discovered-a-map-in-the-archives-that-revealed-its-exact-location-180988566/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-lsd-trip-was-a-literal-bicycle-ride-83-years-ago-fans-of-the-psychedelic-celebrate-the-occasion-every-april-19-180988564/In 1943, a chemist in Switzerland synthesized a drug that alters consciousness. His discovery changed the study of medicine, psychiatry and biology—and became a central component of the counterculture movementFri, 17 Apr 2026 17:56:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-lsd-trip-was-a-literal-bicycle-ride-83-years-ago-fans-of-the-psychedelic-celebrate-the-occasion-every-april-19-180988564/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-squall-doomed-this-stone-hauling-vessel-in-lake-erie-divers-just-found-the-shipwreck-more-than-150-years-later-180988557/The "Clough," a 125-foot-long bark, sank in September 1868 near Cleveland, with just one crew member surviving to explain what had happenedThu, 16 Apr 2026 13:35:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-squall-doomed-this-stone-hauling-vessel-in-lake-erie-divers-just-found-the-shipwreck-more-than-150-years-later-180988557/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turtles-may-have-been-tasty-snacks-for-neanderthals-125000-years-ago-but-their-shells-were-probably-the-real-prize-180988550/New research based on fragments discovered at the Neumark-Nord site in Germany suggests Neanderthals may have transformed the shells into toolsWed, 15 Apr 2026 14:46:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turtles-may-have-been-tasty-snacks-for-neanderthals-125000-years-ago-but-their-shells-were-probably-the-real-prize-180988550/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-holds-an-artistic-mirror-up-to-the-united-states-for-its-big-250th-birthday-180988538/In celebration of the semiquincentennial this year, "Dear America" looks at the country's land, communities and revolutionary history through artworks dating back to the late 18th centuryTue, 14 Apr 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-holds-an-artistic-mirror-up-to-the-united-states-for-its-big-250th-birthday-180988538/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-dizzying-spiral-staircase-with-a-single-guardrail-once-led-to-the-top-of-the-eiffel-tower-now-you-can-buy-14-of-the-original-steps-180988535/The 1,062 steps connecting the tower's second and third levels were installed in 1889. Fragments from the 137-year-old staircase can be found at several French museumsMon, 13 Apr 2026 18:08:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-dizzying-spiral-staircase-with-a-single-guardrail-once-led-to-the-top-of-the-eiffel-tower-now-you-can-buy-14-of-the-original-steps-180988535/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-built-thomas-jeffersons-monticello-brick-by-brick-archaeologists-just-discovered-one-of-the-kilns-they-used-180988525/Researchers think the newly unearthed structure was used to fire and cure bricks during construction of the site’s original mansion in the early 1770sMon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-built-thomas-jeffersons-monticello-brick-by-brick-archaeologists-just-discovered-one-of-the-kilns-they-used-180988525/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/A new analysis revealed traces of various plants, animals and humans on the controversial linen cloth. But outside experts are skeptical of the findings, which could complicate efforts to identify the shroud's original wearerThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:17:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-before-machine-guns-ancient-roman-troops-were-using-this-rapid-fire-weapon-180988504/Ancient Roman forces may have used the polybolos to quell a rebellion at Pompeii in 89 B.C.E. The unique weapon was likely developed by a Greek engineer centuries earlierThu, 09 Apr 2026 11:13:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-before-machine-guns-ancient-roman-troops-were-using-this-rapid-fire-weapon-180988504/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whats-inside-americas-lost-luggage-these-travelers-abandoned-a-samurai-sword-a-meteorite-and-a-robot-with-a-mysterious-purpose-180988507/Unclaimed Baggage sells lost belongings at a 50,000-square-foot store in Alabama. An annual report explores how objects packed in 2025 reflect cultural trendsThu, 09 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whats-inside-americas-lost-luggage-these-travelers-abandoned-a-samurai-sword-a-meteorite-and-a-robot-with-a-mysterious-purpose-180988507/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-cargo-from-roman-ship-discovered-at-the-bottom-of-swiss-lake-180988492/Divers recovered weapons, tools, pieces of horse-drawn chariots, ceramic plates, platters and goblets. One archaeologist surmises that the loss would have been "immense" at the timeWed, 08 Apr 2026 14:31:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-cargo-from-roman-ship-discovered-at-the-bottom-of-swiss-lake-180988492/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/George Tupper, a 22-year-old from Massachusetts, was nearly a year into his military service when a yellow fever outbreak struck Fort JeffersonMon, 06 Apr 2026 18:05:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-colorful-wall-of-vintage-imacs-and-a-recreation-of-steve-jobs-garage-at-a-new-apple-museum-in-the-netherlands-180988485/The tech world changed forever when two college dropouts founded Apple on April 1, 1976. Fifty years later, a museum dedicated to the company's history and evolution has opened in the city of UtrechtMon, 06 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-colorful-wall-of-vintage-imacs-and-a-recreation-of-steve-jobs-garage-at-a-new-apple-museum-in-the-netherlands-180988485/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rock-art-suggests-the-tasmanian-tiger-may-have-survived-on-mainland-australia-longer-than-previously-thought-180988472/Archaeologists think some of the paintings may be less than 1,000 years old, even though the animals were thought to have disappeared from the continent roughly 3,000 years agoFri, 03 Apr 2026 17:58:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rock-art-suggests-the-tasmanian-tiger-may-have-survived-on-mainland-australia-longer-than-previously-thought-180988472/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanics-wealthiest-victim-was-carrying-a-gold-pocket-watch-when-he-died-now-it-could-sell-for-500000-at-auction-180988475/John Jacob Astor IV was returning from his honeymoon with his wife, who survived the 1912 disaster. His pocket watch and gold pencil case are going up for sale this monthFri, 03 Apr 2026 16:57:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanics-wealthiest-victim-was-carrying-a-gold-pocket-watch-when-he-died-now-it-could-sell-for-500000-at-auction-180988475/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-these-the-earliest-known-dice-in-the-world-native-americans-may-have-used-them-to-play-games-of-chance-more-than-12000-years-ago-180988479/A new study suggests that humans were playing with probability during the Ice Age—and that dice were invented 6,000 years earlier than previously thoughtFri, 03 Apr 2026 14:30:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-these-the-earliest-known-dice-in-the-world-native-americans-may-have-used-them-to-play-games-of-chance-more-than-12000-years-ago-180988479/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-secret-passageway-may-have-been-part-of-the-underground-railroad-now-preservationists-say-its-in-danger-180988461/The Merchant's House Museum in New York City announced its investigation into the tunnel's history in February. A neighboring development could threaten the building's walls and foundationsWed, 01 Apr 2026 19:08:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-secret-passageway-may-have-been-part-of-the-underground-railroad-now-preservationists-say-its-in-danger-180988461/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-this-1800-year-old-mosaic-the-first-known-image-of-a-woman-fighting-wild-beasts-in-an-ancient-roman-arena-180988456/The artwork was destroyed during World War I. But an archaeologist's sketch may reveal a female figure wielding a whip and facing off against a leopard, a new study suggestsWed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-this-1800-year-old-mosaic-the-first-known-image-of-a-woman-fighting-wild-beasts-in-an-ancient-roman-arena-180988456/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/charles-dickens-searched-the-streets-of-london-and-found-inspiration-for-his-evocative-fiction-180988451/A three-part BBC series will examine how real events shaped the 19th-century British author's writing. The show is part of the National Year of Reading in the U.K.Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/charles-dickens-searched-the-streets-of-london-and-found-inspiration-for-his-evocative-fiction-180988451/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/abigail-adams-asked-her-husband-to-remember-the-ladies-as-he-drafted-americas-laws-heres-what-she-really-meant-180988452/She wrote the letter that would come to define her legacy on March 31, 1776. But 250 years later, Americans are misinterpreting her open-ended requestTue, 31 Mar 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/abigail-adams-asked-her-husband-to-remember-the-ladies-as-he-drafted-americas-laws-heres-what-she-really-meant-180988452/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-use-birch-bark-tar-as-an-antibiotic-to-treat-wounds-and-infections-180988393/Scientists created samples of the black resin using three methods and tested their effectiveness against two common bacteriaMon, 30 Mar 2026 20:55:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-use-birch-bark-tar-as-an-antibiotic-to-treat-wounds-and-infections-180988393/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-long-lost-photos-of-the-chelsea-hotel-reveal-intimate-portraits-of-its-bohemian-residentsfrom-patti-smith-to-bob-dylan-180988458/Photographer Albert Scopin documented the countercultural hub at its peak in the mid-20th century. Now, the recovered photos are the subject of a new book and exhibition celebrating the New York City landmarkMon, 30 Mar 2026 20:10:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-long-lost-photos-of-the-chelsea-hotel-reveal-intimate-portraits-of-its-bohemian-residentsfrom-patti-smith-to-bob-dylan-180988458/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-skeleton-found-beneath-the-floor-of-a-dutch-church-may-belong-to-dartagnan-the-fourth-musketeer-180988448/Workers discovered the skeleton during recent repair work at the church in Maastricht. D'Artagnan died during the siege of the city in 1673Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:36:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-skeleton-found-beneath-the-floor-of-a-dutch-church-may-belong-to-dartagnan-the-fourth-musketeer-180988448/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-2000-year-old-sling-bullet-inscribed-with-the-word-learn-180988449/The artifact is the first sling bullet of its kind unearthed at the ancient city of Hippos, though archaeologists have found dozens of other examples without inscriptions at the siteFri, 27 Mar 2026 19:25:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-2000-year-old-sling-bullet-inscribed-with-the-word-learn-180988449/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/fish-traps-have-been-banned-on-the-columbia-river-for-nearly-a-century-could-bringing-them-back-help-save-salmon-180988439/A new experiment is testing the commercial success of fish traps in Washington and Oregon. Even as some conservationists embrace the technique, its return has reopened old wounds among local fishersFri, 27 Mar 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/fish-traps-have-been-banned-on-the-columbia-river-for-nearly-a-century-could-bringing-them-back-help-save-salmon-180988439/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-this-600-year-old-grape-seed-is-genetically-identical-to-modern-varieties-used-to-make-pinot-noir-180988437/Researchers analyzed grape seeds dating to between 2300 B.C.E. and 1500 C.E., including one particularly intriguing sample found in the toilet of a medieval hospital in FranceThu, 26 Mar 2026 17:43:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-this-600-year-old-grape-seed-is-genetically-identical-to-modern-varieties-used-to-make-pinot-noir-180988437/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-spellbinding-exhibition-explores-how-ancient-cultures-used-magic-to-navigate-lifes-challenges-180988436/The Toledo Museum of Art is showcasing a treasure trove of masks, amulets, spellbooks and gems dating to between 2000 B.C.E. and 300 C.E.Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-spellbinding-exhibition-explores-how-ancient-cultures-used-magic-to-navigate-lifes-challenges-180988436/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-171-year-old-sketch-that-helped-put-yosemite-on-the-map-180988385/The Library of Congress has acquired a drawing and accompanying lithograph of Yosemite Falls created by Gold Rush-era artist Thomas Almond Ayres in 1855Wed, 25 Mar 2026 19:51:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-171-year-old-sketch-that-helped-put-yosemite-on-the-map-180988385/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-an-intact-cannonball-from-the-battle-of-the-alamo-one-day-before-the-pivotal-conflicts-190th-anniversary-180988402/The projectile is made of bronze, which suggests it was fired by the Mexican Army during the siege leading up to the 1836 battleWed, 25 Mar 2026 18:31:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-an-intact-cannonball-from-the-battle-of-the-alamo-one-day-before-the-pivotal-conflicts-190th-anniversary-180988402/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-are-mystified-by-these-2000-year-old-bodies-found-seated-upright-and-facing-west-in-france-180988425/Researchers previously discovered 13 sets of human remains buried in a similar manner at the same grave site in DijonWed, 25 Mar 2026 11:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-are-mystified-by-these-2000-year-old-bodies-found-seated-upright-and-facing-west-in-france-180988425/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-identify-traces-of-childrens-fingerprints-still-visible-on-clay-beads-created-15000-years-ago-180988400/Discovered in present-day Israel, the beads suggest that Natufian groups used clay for symbolic purposes many years earlier than scholars previously thought, according to a new studyTue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-identify-traces-of-childrens-fingerprints-still-visible-on-clay-beads-created-15000-years-ago-180988400/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-historic-snuffboxes-associated-with-18th-century-monarchs-were-stolen-in-a-shocking-heist-now-theyre-back-on-public-display-180988366/In 2024, thieves made away with the intricately decorated boxes, which had been on display in Paris. Two of the boxes, which were later recovered, are now on view at the Victoria & Albert Museum in LondonMon, 23 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-historic-snuffboxes-associated-with-18th-century-monarchs-were-stolen-in-a-shocking-heist-now-theyre-back-on-public-display-180988366/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ramses-iis-intricately-decorated-coffin-and-rare-treasures-from-his-reign-at-this-new-immersive-exhibition-180988306/Now on display in London, "Ramses and the Pharaohs' Gold" features 3,000-year-old artifacts alongside virtual reality experiences that transport museumgoers to the 13th century B.C.E.Fri, 20 Mar 2026 18:28:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ramses-iis-intricately-decorated-coffin-and-rare-treasures-from-his-reign-at-this-new-immersive-exhibition-180988306/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-may-have-transported-live-parrots-over-the-andes-mountains-along-sophisticated-trade-routes-before-the-rise-of-the-inca-empire-180988377/Archaeologists were puzzled when they found parrot feathers in a pre-Inca burial in coastal Peru. A new study suggests that the birds were captured in the wild and kept alive over lengthy journeysFri, 20 Mar 2026 16:20:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-may-have-transported-live-parrots-over-the-andes-mountains-along-sophisticated-trade-routes-before-the-rise-of-the-inca-empire-180988377/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-the-colosseum-new-marble-slabs-mark-where-towering-columns-stood-thousands-of-years-ago-180988378/Crowds once mingled below two tall arcades supported by 164-foot-tall columns. But due to earthquakes and unstable foundations, these architectural elements collapsed long agoFri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-the-colosseum-new-marble-slabs-mark-where-towering-columns-stood-thousands-of-years-ago-180988378/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-groundskeeper-noticed-a-sinkhole-on-a-golf-course-it-turned-out-to-be-a-wine-cellar-full-of-empty-bottles-untouched-for-more-than-100-years-180988379/The cellar is located near the 13th hole of a course at the Davyhulme Park Golf Club in England. Staffers think it was previously part of a manor that was torn down in 1888Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:04:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-groundskeeper-noticed-a-sinkhole-on-a-golf-course-it-turned-out-to-be-a-wine-cellar-full-of-empty-bottles-untouched-for-more-than-100-years-180988379/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/david-hockney-used-an-ipad-to-create-this-sprawling-295-foot-long-frieze-inspired-by-the-11th-century-bayeux-tapestry-180988371/The artwork, which depicts the changing seasons in Normandy, is the centerpiece of "A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts About Painting," a new exhibition in LondonThu, 19 Mar 2026 16:02:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/david-hockney-used-an-ipad-to-create-this-sprawling-295-foot-long-frieze-inspired-by-the-11th-century-bayeux-tapestry-180988371/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-diver-stumbled-upon-a-centuries-old-sword-beneath-the-mediterranean-sea-years-later-he-found-another-one-nearby-180988370/Shlomi Katzin, who unearthed a 900-year-old sword in 2021, recently discovered a similar artifact jutting out of the seabed off the coast of IsraelThu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-diver-stumbled-upon-a-centuries-old-sword-beneath-the-mediterranean-sea-years-later-he-found-another-one-nearby-180988370/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-brilliant-blue-paint-covering-this-lavish-room-in-ancient-pompeii-may-have-cost-more-than-half-the-annual-salary-of-a-roman-foot-soldier-180988374/Researchers have estimated how much the home's owners may have paid to paint the small sacrarium, calculating the price of the Egyptian blue pigment and the hours of labor required to prepare itWed, 18 Mar 2026 19:38:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-brilliant-blue-paint-covering-this-lavish-room-in-ancient-pompeii-may-have-cost-more-than-half-the-annual-salary-of-a-roman-foot-soldier-180988374/