Valentine's Day

The new Banksy mural titled Valentine's Day Mascara on the side of a building in Margate, England

Banksy Unveils 'Valentine's Day Mascara,' a Statement on Domestic Violence

After removing parts of the artwork for safety, town officials quickly returned them to the site

Cows are considered sacred in Hinduism.

India Wants to Replace Valentine's Day With 'Cow Hug Day'

The Hindu nationalist government says that Western culture threatens Indian traditions

The Shakers, who reached the peak of their popularity in America between 1820 and 1860, loathed the institutions of marriage and family for the sinful “natural affections” that accompanied them.

The Sects That Rejected Sex in 19th-Century America

Why three religious groups traded monogamy for celibacy, polygamy and "complex marriage"

The Hopkins’ rose nudibranch is a carnivorous sea slug that obtains its trademark color from eating pink moss animals.

14 Fun Facts About Bright Pink Animals

From jellyfish to millipedes, the rosy hues make rare but exciting appearances in nature

The broad-tailed hummingbird uses its fiery throat feathers, called a gorget, to attract a mate.

Smithsonian Voices

From Aerial Acrobatics to Sexual Deception, See Eight of Nature's Wildest Mating Rituals

Some species have developed unusual rituals to show off their prowess as a potential mate

An artist imagines what two Mnyamawamtuka would look like as they cavort in the Cretaceous rain

New Research

Meet the Dinosaur With the Heart-Shaped Tail Bone

The newly discovered long-neck dino could help scientists figure out why some dinosaurs grew to be so large

La Casa di Giulietta had always belonged to the Dal Cappello family until purchased by the City of Verona in 1905. Cappello is close enough to Capulet that there’s a semblance of credibility to those who wish to believe.

In the Fair City of Verona, Star-Cross'd Lovers Want to Believe in 'La Casa di Giulietta'

The number of visitors to this self-proclaimed Shakespearean “city of love” typically swells during the week around Valentine’s Day

Revenge is sweet.

Feed Your Ex to a Bear This Valentine’s Day—or Name a Cockroach After Them

Conservation centers and zoos around the world are providing ample opportunities for people to get petty by letting them name prey after their past lovers

The Patents Behind Your Box of Valentine's Day Chocolates

Before you sample a truffle or a coconut cream, consider all of the innovation that has been poured into the sweets and their lovely presentation

The Necco candy factory used to produce piles of Sweethearts.

The Pharmacist Who Launched America's Modern Candy Industry

Oliver Chase invented a lozenge-cutting machine that led to Necco wafers, Sweethearts and the mechanization of candy making

"Miss U Already"

Sweethearts Candies Won’t Be Available This Valentine’s Day

Production of the iconic treat ground to a halt after the company that makes them went out of business

Relics of St. Valentine of Terni at the basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin

The Gory Origins of Valentine's Day

The holiday began as a feast to celebrate the decapitation of a third-century Christian martyr, or perhaps two. So how did it become all about love?

Test tubes hold users' DNA samples, taken from cheek swabs.

The Dubious Science of Genetics-Based Dating

Is love really just a cheek swab away?

Cacao trees with chocolate fruit pods on Kauai, HI.

How Hawaii Became the North Pole of Cacao

These chocolate makers have set up shop in the only state—and the coldest place—that can sustain cacao plantations

Eight Secrets of the Taj Mahal

One of the world's greatest memorials to love remains a place of mystery

The smooching couple in the center left gave the bakery its nickname.

Cool Finds

How a Pompeiian Bakery Became This Year's Hot Date Destination

The romance never dies at the House of the Chaste Lovers

Esther Howland popularized and mass-produced Valentine's Day cards like this one, using lace and colorful paper.

How to Make an Authentic Civil War Valentine

Handmade Valentine cards were popularized (and commercialized) in the U.S. during the Civil War years

Smart Startup

These Flowers Come Straight From the Farm to Your Door

By cutting out the middleman, this startup is aiming for better bouquets and a greener flower industry

Because donkeys definitely belong on Valentine's Day cards.

Nothing Says ‘I Hate You’ Like a ‘Vinegar Valentine’

For at least a century, Valentine’s Day was used as an excuse to send mean, insulting cards

The Innovative Spirit fy17

The Patents Behind the Roses You Receive on Valentine's Day

You probably never thought of the perennials as inventions, have you?

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