American History

A microscope used in the development of Humulin, the first commercial product created via genetic modification. It was recently donated to the American History Museum.

A History of Biotechnology in Seven Objects

Newly donated items at the American History Museum tell the story of the birth of genetic engineering

Almost Half the Runners in the NYC Marathon Were Supposed to Race Last Year

New York's marathon is the country's largest, and last year, it was cancelled

101 Objects that Made America: America in the World

Pulled from the Smithsonian collections, these items range millennia, from pre-historic dinosaurs to the very first supercomputer

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How Cesar Chavez Changed the World

The farmworker’s initiative improved lives in America’s fields, and beyond

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A Close, Intimate Look at Walt Whitman

A haunting image captures America’s quintessential poet, writes author Mark Strand

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The Brief History of the ENIAC Computer

A look back at the room-size government computer that began the digital era

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Abraham Lincoln’s Top Hat: The Inside Story

Does the hat that links us to his final hours define the president? Or does the president define the hat?

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The Earliest Bike Design Is Getting a Modern, Electric Reboot

What would early bike designers think of this Tron-like reboot of their classic wheels?

NPR’s Andy Carvin has donated the iPhone he used during the Arab Spring to the American History Museum.

The Phone That Helped Andy Carvin Report the Arab Spring is Now in the Smithsonian

The NPR reporter talks about how he was able to factcheck tweets amid the rush of information in 2011

The migration paths that may have brought people across the Bering Strait Land Bridge.

The Very First Americans May Have Had European Roots

Some early Americans came not from Asia, it seems, but by way of Europe

U.S. paratroopers drop into Grenada

30 Years Ago Today, the U.S. Invaded Grenada

The conflict pit the U.S. military against Grenadian revolutionaries and the Cuban army

Before Hollywood Had Ratings, Films Were Way Racier

In the 1934 movie Murder at the Vanities there's a whole musical number about the pleasures of marijuana sung by half naked women

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Why We Missed America’s National Treasures During the Shutdown

The Smithsonian's Richard Kurin reflects on the recent shutdown and the icons that have shaped American history

This Map From 1812 Is Missing a Whole Continent

Back when America was small, Australia was "New Holland," and big chunks of the world seemingly didn't exist

Hotel Builders in New York Might Have Just Uncovered the Colonial-Era Bull’s Head Tavern

Developers in New York City may have just uncovered a tavern visited by George Washington, and written about by Washington Irving

Great lakes Huron, Ontario, and Erie

In the U.S., Water is Starting to Get Way, Way More Expensive

In the past few years the price of water rose 23%, and water utilities are taking on crushing debt to keep up

Glitches in the Common Application Have Seniors Pulling Their Hair Out

Should the Common App fall down entirely, we'll probably hear the collective wail millions of high school seniors all over the country

East face of the Smithsonian Castle on July 4, 2010

Smithsonian Museums and the Panda Cam are Back in Business Today

After the 16-day government shutdown, visitors can once again visit the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo relaunches the panda cam

Newer Movies Are Less Creative

The most creative time in film history was probably the 1960's

All Those Pink Products Make Women Take Breast Cancer Less Seriously

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, which means that everywhere you go things are painted pink - which might be a bad thing

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