Innovations | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/innovations/RSS feed for InnovationsenWed, 15 Jul 2026 18:47:10 +0000A.I. Music Is Already Here. To Protect Human Artists, the Record Industry Proposes New Labels, Like Those for Explicit Lyricshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-music-is-already-here-to-protect-human-artists-the-record-industry-proposes-labels-for-it-like-those-for-explicit-lyrics-180989128/The proposal comes as A.I.-generated music makes up an increasing share of what’s available on streaming platformsWed, 15 Jul 2026 18:47:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-music-is-already-here-to-protect-human-artists-the-record-industry-proposes-labels-for-it-like-those-for-explicit-lyrics-180989128/The Largest Operating Steam Locomotive in the World Weighs 1.2 Million Pounds. Now, the Historic Train May Be Coming to Your Townhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-largest-operating-steam-locomotive-in-the-world-weighs-1-2-million-pounds-now-the-historic-train-may-be-coming-to-your-town-180989112/Built in the 1940s, Big Boy No. 4014 retired in 1961 after traveling for more than one million miles. It's now making its way across the country in honor of America's 250th birthdayMon, 13 Jul 2026 17:26:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-largest-operating-steam-locomotive-in-the-world-weighs-1-2-million-pounds-now-the-historic-train-may-be-coming-to-your-town-180989112/DNA Reveals the Identity of a Teenager Who Died in the Revolutionary War, Cracking a Nearly 250-Year-Old Cold Casehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/dna-reveals-the-identity-of-a-teenager-who-died-in-the-revolutionary-war-cracking-a-nearly-250-year-old-cold-case-180989095/John Pumphrey was still a boy when he enlisted in the Continental Army in 1777. After archaeologists discovered his remains, a genetic genealogy analysis identified 20,000 DNA matches for living relativesFri, 10 Jul 2026 16:07:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/dna-reveals-the-identity-of-a-teenager-who-died-in-the-revolutionary-war-cracking-a-nearly-250-year-old-cold-case-180989095/See the Space Shuttle 'Endeavour' in a Unique Vertical Display Before Its New Exhibition Launches at the California Science Centerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-space-shuttle-endeavour-in-a-unique-vertical-display-before-its-new-exhibition-launches-at-the-california-science-center-180989073/This November, visitors to the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Los Angeles will get to see the "ready-to-launch" "Endeavour" complete with rocket boosters and a fuel tankMon, 06 Jul 2026 19:21:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-space-shuttle-endeavour-in-a-unique-vertical-display-before-its-new-exhibition-launches-at-the-california-science-center-180989073/America's First Space Station Proved Humans Could Live and Work in Orbit for Months. Now, the Public Can See What It Looked Like in Person for the First Time in Eight Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/americas-first-space-station-proved-humans-could-live-and-work-in-orbit-for-months-now-the-public-can-see-what-it-looked-like-in-person-for-the-first-time-in-eight-years-180989055/A backup version of Skylab was displayed when the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum opened 50 years ago. After renovation of the building, the artifact is once more on view in a new galleryWed, 01 Jul 2026 21:30:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/americas-first-space-station-proved-humans-could-live-and-work-in-orbit-for-months-now-the-public-can-see-what-it-looked-like-in-person-for-the-first-time-in-eight-years-180989055/As France Prepares to Light Up the Statue of Liberty for America's 250th, Peek Into the History of the Symbol of Trans-Atlantic Friendshiphttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-france-prepares-to-light-up-the-statue-of-liberty-for-americas-250th-peek-into-the-history-of-the-symbol-of-translatlantic-friendship-180989047/Here’s how three French idealists—an abolitionist, a sculptor and the engineer behind the Eiffel Tower—brought the representation of freedom to lifeWed, 01 Jul 2026 15:11:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-france-prepares-to-light-up-the-statue-of-liberty-for-americas-250th-peek-into-the-history-of-the-symbol-of-translatlantic-friendship-180989047/Scientists Have Deciphered the Surviving Fragments of a 2,000-Year-Old Philosophical Treatise Frozen in Time by Mount Vesuvius' Eruptionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-have-deciphered-the-surviving-fragments-of-a-2000-year-old-philosophical-treatise-frozen-in-time-by-mount-vesuvius-eruption-180989036/The papyrus manuscript was part of a vast library preserved by volcanic ash. Now, the remaining passages—which examine ethics, knowledge and human nature—are accessible for the first time since 79 C.E.Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:51:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-have-deciphered-the-surviving-fragments-of-a-2000-year-old-philosophical-treatise-frozen-in-time-by-mount-vesuvius-eruption-180989036/Everyone Wanted Alexander Graham Bell to Debut the Telephone at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. He Almost Avoided It Entirelyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/everyone-wanted-alexander-graham-bell-to-debut-the-telephone-at-the-philadelphia-centennial-exhibition-he-almost-walked-away-first-180989016/The inventor had to be persuaded to make the trip from Boston, then balked at the thought of a delay in debuting his device. But history interceded, and his American innovation got its proper accoladesThu, 25 Jun 2026 15:05:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/everyone-wanted-alexander-graham-bell-to-debut-the-telephone-at-the-philadelphia-centennial-exhibition-he-almost-walked-away-first-180989016/America's 150th Birthday Celebration Was Deemed the Nation's 'Greatest Flop.' What Went Wrong With the Sesquicentennial?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/americas-150th-birthday-celebration-was-deemed-the-nations-greatest-flop-what-went-wrong-with-the-sesquicentennial-180988946/Philadelphia politicians hoped to replicate the success of the 1876 Centennial Exposition. Instead, the 1926 world's fair lost millions of dollars, essentially bankrupting the city on the eve of the Great DepressionTue, 16 Jun 2026 12:57:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/americas-150th-birthday-celebration-was-deemed-the-nations-greatest-flop-what-went-wrong-with-the-sesquicentennial-180988946/When Clarence Birdseye Tasted the Trout That Had Been Frozen by Inuit Fishermen, It Changed the Way We Buy Foodhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/when-clarence-birdseye-tasted-trout-had-been-frozen-inuit-fisherman-changed-way-buy-food-180988815/The inventive entrepreneur concluded that the faster things were frozen, the less damage was done to the structure of the food. Once thawed, they were “exactly like fresh”Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/when-clarence-birdseye-tasted-trout-had-been-frozen-inuit-fisherman-changed-way-buy-food-180988815/How the Hashtag Became the Way to Instantly Invite Literally Everyone Into the Conversationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-hashtag-became-way-instantly-invite-literally-everyone-into-conversation-180988813/In the nascent days of Twitter, users wanted a quick way to cluster posts about a single subject. Someone suggested using a pound sign, and #TheRestIsHistoryFri, 12 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-hashtag-became-way-instantly-invite-literally-everyone-into-conversation-180988813/A Moment of Divine Inspiration Helped Melvil Dewey Bring Obsessive Order to the Infinitely Disorganized Stacks in the Libraryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/moment-divine-inspiration-helped-melvil-dewey-bring-obsessive-order-infinitely-disorganized-stacks-library-180988856/The Massachusetts student let his mind wander during a Sunday sermon and created the decimal-based system that greatly simplified the search for any book you were looking for.Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/moment-divine-inspiration-helped-melvil-dewey-bring-obsessive-order-infinitely-disorganized-stacks-library-180988856/The Operating Room Where Anesthesia Was First Demonstrated Is Now a Landmark. But for the Men Who Claimed Credit, There Was Much Miseryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/operating-room-where-anesthesia-first-demonstrated-now-landmark-men-claimed-credit-much-misery-180988842/Medical procedures used to be a scream-filled endurance test until doctors at this Boston institution learned to tame the pain of patientsThu, 11 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/operating-room-where-anesthesia-first-demonstrated-now-landmark-men-claimed-credit-much-misery-180988842/Some Presidents Offer More Than Just Policy. Here Are Five Who Brought Their Innovative Spirit to the Officehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/some-presidents-offer-more-just-policy-here-are-five-brought-innovative-spirit-office-180988834/One president invented campaign buttons so he could just stay home during election season. Another one rallied Americans to go to the moon. And one—only one—holds a patent.Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/some-presidents-offer-more-just-policy-here-are-five-brought-innovative-spirit-office-180988834/When Patent Protections Couldn’t Keep Pace With Ingenuity in the Colonies, One Inventive Woman Took Her Case to Britainhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/patent-protections-couldnt-keep-pace-with-ingenuity-colonies-one-inventive-woman-took-case-britain-180988827/Sybilla Righton Masters devised a novel way to work with grains available to her in Philadelphia. A long journey led to the first patent issued to an American (though it went to her husband)Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/patent-protections-couldnt-keep-pace-with-ingenuity-colonies-one-inventive-woman-took-case-britain-180988827/Because of a Mathematician From Rural Virginia’s Work on Global Positioning, You Have No Excuse for Getting Losthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/gladys-west-gives-directions-180988807/Gladys West had an “insatiable thirst for knowledge.” She used computers, radars and satellites to make calculations that led to the GPS technology that allows us to pinpoint any spot on the globeFri, 05 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/gladys-west-gives-directions-180988807/In the Early Days of Machine Learning, Massive Computers Said George Harrison Was a Woman. A.I. Has Come a Long Wayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/early-days-machine-learning-massive-computers-said-george-harrison-was-woman-ai-come-long-way-180988805/A Cornell professor designed a room-size network of sensors that represented a single neuron. He claimed it would grow wiser as it gained experience, and it has never stoppedFri, 05 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/early-days-machine-learning-massive-computers-said-george-harrison-was-woman-ai-come-long-way-180988805/Tonga's Enormous Volcanic Eruption Cleaned Up Part of Its Own Methane Emissions in 2022, Hinting at a Way to Fight Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/Researchers analyzed satellite imagery of the volcanic plume and found evidence that the potent greenhouse gas had broken down. The work could inform artificial interventions aiming to mitigate global warming, scientists sayThu, 04 Jun 2026 16:14:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/Mathematicians Puzzled Over a Famous Problem for 80 Years. Now, They've Used A.I. to Identify a Clever Solutionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mathematicians-puzzled-over-a-famous-problem-for-80-years-now-theyve-used-ai-to-identify-a-clever-solution-180988889/In 1946, the mathematician Paul Erdős posed the unit distance problem—and suggested a winning strategy. An A.I. model has now landed on a better one. Why didn't humans get there first?Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:14:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mathematicians-puzzled-over-a-famous-problem-for-80-years-now-theyve-used-ai-to-identify-a-clever-solution-180988889/Smithsonian Magazine Presents: America at 250—The Revolutionary Sparkhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-revolutionary-spark-180988782/Celebrating the visionary insights & darling innovators that forged a nation.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:04:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-revolutionary-spark-180988782/A Shipwreck, but Make It Fashion: Researchers Transformed Wooden Fragments From a 17th-Century Shipwreck Into a Pair of Stylish Maxi Dresseshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/Scientists at Aalto University in Finland saved pieces of the Hahtiperä wreck and turned them into textile fibersTue, 26 May 2026 21:20:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/