Update: November 22

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)

Tutored in several European languages for hours on end and strapped to a steel rod for posture, Consuelo Vanderbilt's childhood was anything but easy.

Could You Have Endured Consuelo Vanderbilt's Upbringing? (4:30)

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)

Prepare to be amazed.

Ask Smithsonian: What’s a Stone Baby? (1:07)