Patents | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/patents/RSS feed for PatentsenMon, 09 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000One Was a Teenage Diplomat. Another Was a Nuclear Engineer. Here's How Eight Presidents Made Their Mark Outside of the White Househttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/one-was-a-teenage-diplomat-another-was-a-nuclear-engineer-heres-how-eight-presidents-made-their-mark-outside-of-the-white-house-180988146/From Abraham Lincoln's patent to James A. Garfield's geometry proof, learn how these 19th- and 20th-century commanders in chief shaped their legacies beyond politicsMon, 09 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/one-was-a-teenage-diplomat-another-was-a-nuclear-engineer-heres-how-eight-presidents-made-their-mark-outside-of-the-white-house-180988146/The Effervescent History of Seltzer, From the Early Days of Home Delivery to Today's Trendy Canshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/the-effervescent-history-of-seltzer-from-the-early-days-of-home-delivery-to-todays-trendy-cans-180986774/A century before LaCroix or Spindrift were refrigerator staples, factories in New York City were carbonating gallons and gallons of tap water each dayThu, 12 Jun 2025 11:53:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/the-effervescent-history-of-seltzer-from-the-early-days-of-home-delivery-to-todays-trendy-cans-180986774/Birkenstocks Are Not Works of Art, According to a German Courthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birkenstocks-are-not-works-of-art-according-to-a-german-court-180986109/The ruling comes after years of legal battles surrounding cheaper knock-offs, which the company argues are a violation of copyright lawTue, 25 Feb 2025 21:59:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birkenstocks-are-not-works-of-art-according-to-a-german-court-180986109/Could This Space Oven Allow Astronauts to Finally Cook in Space?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/could-this-space-oven-allow-astronauts-to-finally-cook-in-space-180986036/An aerospace engineer has invented an appliance that can whip up quiches, pizzas and more in a zero-gravity environmentWed, 12 Feb 2025 13:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/could-this-space-oven-allow-astronauts-to-finally-cook-in-space-180986036/How an Experiment to Amplify Light in Hospital Operating Rooms Led to the Accidental Invention of the Snow Globehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-an-experiment-to-amplify-light-in-hospital-operating-rooms-led-to-the-accidental-invention-of-the-snow-globe-180985742/The origins of the decoration lie in Vienna’s 17th district, where the inventor’s descendants are still making them for collectors around the worldFri, 27 Dec 2024 13:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-an-experiment-to-amplify-light-in-hospital-operating-rooms-led-to-the-accidental-invention-of-the-snow-globe-180985742/The Ouija Board Can't Connect Us to Paranormal Forces—but It Can Tell Us a Lot About Psychology, Grief and Uncertaintyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-ouija-board-cant-connect-us-to-paranormal-forces-but-it-can-tell-us-a-lot-about-psychology-grief-and-uncertainty-5860627/The game was born from Americans' obsession with Spiritualism in the 19th century. Since then, it's functioned as a reflection of their deep-seated beliefs and anxieties for more than a centuryMon, 28 Oct 2013 03:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-ouija-board-cant-connect-us-to-paranormal-forces-but-it-can-tell-us-a-lot-about-psychology-grief-and-uncertainty-5860627/From the Inventor of Mass-Market Paper Bags to a Scientist Who Unraveled the Mysteries of Polio, Meet Five American Women Whose Remarkable Achievements Have Long Been Overlookedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/from-inventor-mass-market-paper-bags-to-scientist-who-unraveled-mysteries-of-polio-meet-five-american-women-whose-remarkable-achievements-have-long-been-overlooked-180983931/The inaugural exhibition at the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum seeks to shine light on lesser-known historical figuresTue, 12 Mar 2024 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/from-inventor-mass-market-paper-bags-to-scientist-who-unraveled-mysteries-of-polio-meet-five-american-women-whose-remarkable-achievements-have-long-been-overlooked-180983931/New Synthetic Horseshoe Crab Blood Could Mean Pharma Won't Bleed the Species Dryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/new-synthetic-horseshoe-crab-blood-could-mean-pharma-wont-bleed-the-species-dry-180983054/The “living fossils” have been vital for testing intravenous drugs, but a few large pharmaceutical companies are using a lab-made compound insteadFri, 13 Oct 2023 14:58:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/new-synthetic-horseshoe-crab-blood-could-mean-pharma-wont-bleed-the-species-dry-180983054/How Popping Open a Can Became the Sound of Summerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-popping-open-a-can-became-the-sound-of-summer-180982527/More than 60 years ago, an unfortunate picnic set Ohioan Ermal C. Fraze on a path to inventing the first pop-top tab opener for canned beveragesThu, 13 Jul 2023 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-popping-open-a-can-became-the-sound-of-summer-180982527/After 150 Years, Levi's 501 Blue Jeans Are Still Kickinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/levis-jeans-150-years-180982241/The iconic garment began as a practical piece of clothing for miners to wear during long, difficult shiftsFri, 26 May 2023 14:38:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/levis-jeans-150-years-180982241/