Ask Smithsonian
Does Climate Change Cause Extreme Weather Events?
It's a challenge to attribute any one storm or heat wave to climate change, but scientists are getting closer
Do Other Animals Have Baby Teeth and More Questions From Our Readers
You asked, we answered
What Are All The Ways That Land Can Disappear Beneath Your Feet?
From sinkholes to liquefaction, we look at how solid earth can shrink and elude our grasp
When We Go to Mars, Will We Have a Real-Life HAL 9000 With Us?
How generations of NASA scientists were inspired by an evil Hollywood supercomputer
How Does Earth's Geomagnetic Field Work?
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What Does It Mean to Be a Species? Genetics Is Changing the Answer
As DNA techniques let us see animals in finer and finer gradients, the old definition is falling apart
What Really Felled the Hindenburg?
On the anniversary of the conflagration, mysteries still remain
What's the Difference Between Horns and Antlers and More Questions From Our Readers
You asked, we answered
Why Is the Pentagon a Pentagon?
Planners battled to ensure the building kept its unique shape
What Is Dark Matter and More Questions From Our Readers
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How Big Can a Land Animal Get?
King Kong's biggest enemy isn’t humans—it’s the laws of physics
How Do New Planets Get Their Names?
Sorry, Planet McPlanetface: Asteroids, moons and other celestial bodies go through a strict set of international naming guidelines
The Beast's Enchanted Rose Lasted a Decade. How Long Can a Real One Last?
A Smithsonian expert says the film's was undoubtedly a hybrid tea rose
Why Is Pennsylvania Ave D.C.'s Main Thoroughfare and More Questions From Our Readers
Your questions answered by our experts
What Do Insects Do in Winter?
When winter comes, most bugs either migrate or time travel. But some get far more creative
Are Oysters an Aphrodisiac?
Sure, if you think so
Why Do Chinese Restaurants Have Such Similar Names?
Consistency and familiarity is the tradition
Can Humans Ever Harness the Power of Hibernation?
Scientists want to know if astronauts can hibernate during long spaceflights. First, they need to understand what hibernation is
Did Ellis Island Officials Really Change the Names of Immigrants?
On the 125th anniversary of the famous portal to the U.S., history shows inspectors were not the ones changing people's names
Is the Earthworm Native to the United States and More Questions From Readers
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