Off the Beaten Path

The Karez is a modern-day engineering marvel and a prime example of people working with, not against, the forces of nature to deliver their needs—in this case, water.

This Ingenious System Brings Water to the Chinese Desert (3:25)

For six weeks, luna moth caterpillars gorge themselves on the leaves of the marula tree. Then, when they're ready, they instinctively weave giant cocoons around themselves in preparation for their stunning metamorphosis.

Timelapse Footage of a Giant Caterpillar Weaving Its Cocoon (2:34)

It's commonly known that a single asteroid set off the dinosaurs' extinction. Even more destructive than its impact was the chain of events it set into motion.

How a Single Asteroid Wiped Dinosaurs Off This Planet (1:14)

Why saying cheese just didnt happen in the early days of photography.

Ask Smithsonian: Why Don’t People Smile in Old Photographs? (1:12)