Hobbies | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/hobbies/RSS feed for HobbiesenMon, 06 Apr 2026 17:16:18 +0000These Rotund and 'Charmingly Goofy' Birds Are Delighting New Yorkers and Dancing on Social Media. What Is the American Woodcock?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-rotund-and-charmingly-goofy-birds-are-delighting-new-yorkers-and-dancing-on-social-media-what-is-the-american-woodcock-180988486/The endearing animals make a pit stop in Bryant Park during their migrations to northern breeding grounds, gathering fans and starring in viral videosMon, 06 Apr 2026 17:16:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-rotund-and-charmingly-goofy-birds-are-delighting-new-yorkers-and-dancing-on-social-media-what-is-the-american-woodcock-180988486/How a Small Winter Flower Has Attracted Droves of Admirers—and Offers a Symbol of Resiliencehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-a-small-winter-flower-has-attracted-droves-of-admirersand-offers-a-symbol-of-resilience-180988423/The snowdrop, or Galanthus, blooms when the world is still frozen. Gardeners enamored with the plant gather each year in Pennsylvania to celebrate its subtleties and enduranceWed, 25 Mar 2026 14:05:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-a-small-winter-flower-has-attracted-droves-of-admirersand-offers-a-symbol-of-resilience-180988423/Don’t Miss These Ten Celestial Events in 2026, From Aligned Planets to a Total Solar Eclipsehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dont-miss-these-ten-celestial-events-in-2026-from-aligned-planets-to-a-total-solar-eclipse-180987931/The upcoming year will offer a blood-red moon, spectacular meteor showers and the first glimpse of the sun’s corona since April 2024Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dont-miss-these-ten-celestial-events-in-2026-from-aligned-planets-to-a-total-solar-eclipse-180987931/Rare, Out-of-Place Cuckoo Sends Birders Flocking to Long Island in Hopes of a Once-in-a-Lifetime Sightinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-out-of-place-cuckoo-sends-birders-flocking-to-long-island-in-hopes-of-a-once-in-a-lifetime-sighting-180987604/The common cuckoo spends most of the year in Europe and Asia but migrates to Africa for the winterThu, 30 Oct 2025 21:06:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-out-of-place-cuckoo-sends-birders-flocking-to-long-island-in-hopes-of-a-once-in-a-lifetime-sighting-180987604/The Giant Pumpkin World Record Just Crept Closer to 3,000 Pounds. Here's How Science, Sweat and 'Soul Crush' Keep Growers Reaching for the Heaviest Fruit Possiblehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-giant-pumpkin-world-record-just-crept-closer-to-3000-pounds-heres-how-science-sweat-and-soul-crush-keep-growers-reaching-for-the-heaviest-fruit-possible-180987563/Twin brothers in the United Kingdom grew the biggest pumpkin ever documented, tipping the scales at 2,819.3 poundsTue, 28 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-giant-pumpkin-world-record-just-crept-closer-to-3000-pounds-heres-how-science-sweat-and-soul-crush-keep-growers-reaching-for-the-heaviest-fruit-possible-180987563/Southern Hemisphere Gull Seen in Wisconsin for the First Time, Drawing Tourists for a Rare Glimpse of the Out-of-Place Birdhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/southern-hemisphere-gull-seen-in-wisconsin-for-the-first-time-drawing-tourists-for-a-rare-glimpse-of-the-out-of-place-bird-180986918/The vagrant kelp gull mated with a local herring gull, though the chick did not survive. Experts say it's a "complete mystery" how the bird came to nest so far north in the first placeWed, 02 Jul 2025 15:40:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/southern-hemisphere-gull-seen-in-wisconsin-for-the-first-time-drawing-tourists-for-a-rare-glimpse-of-the-out-of-place-bird-180986918/14 Million Honeybees Escaped From an Overturned Truck in Washington State. Local Beekeepers Helped Corral Themhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/14-million-honeybees-escaped-from-an-overturned-truck-in-washington-state-local-beekeepers-helped-corral-them-180986725/Most of the bees have now been recovered, and the road is open to the public againMon, 02 Jun 2025 19:27:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/14-million-honeybees-escaped-from-an-overturned-truck-in-washington-state-local-beekeepers-helped-corral-them-180986725/This Man Brewed Beer Using 3,000-Year-Old Yeast and a Recipe From an Ancient Egyptian Papyrushttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-brewed-beer-using-3000-year-old-yeast-and-a-recipe-from-an-ancient-egyptian-papyrus-180984576/Utah homebrewer Dylan McDonnell created his 'Sinai Sour' in his backyardThu, 20 Jun 2024 18:15:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-brewed-beer-using-3000-year-old-yeast-and-a-recipe-from-an-ancient-egyptian-papyrus-180984576/Missed the Auroras in May? Here’s How to See Them Next Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/missed-the-auroras-in-may-heres-how-to-see-them-next-time-180984480/Three veteran aurora chasers and a NASA scientist share everything you need to know to check these dazzling displays off your bucket listThu, 06 Jun 2024 18:47:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/missed-the-auroras-in-may-heres-how-to-see-them-next-time-180984480/What It Takes to Complete the Ultimate Skywatching Endurance Challengehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-it-takes-to-complete-the-ultimate-skywatching-endurance-challenge-180983908/The "Messier marathon" prompts space hobbyists to spot 110 celestial objects in one night, and the best time to try it is in MarchThu, 07 Mar 2024 15:21:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-it-takes-to-complete-the-ultimate-skywatching-endurance-challenge-180983908/