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China

Herbert O. Yardley claimed that the Black Chamber deciphered more than 45,000 diplomatic code and cipher telegrams of foreign governments between 1917 and 1929.

Untold Stories of American History

The Spy Who Exposed the Secrets of the Black Chamber, One of America’s First Code-Breaking Organizations

In 1931, Herbert O. Yardley published a tell-all book about his experiences leading a covert government agency called the Cipher Bureau

A tiger keelback feeds on poisonous toads and stores the poison for its own use.

Six Clever Snakes to Celebrate as We Slither Into the Lunar New Year

These fascinating serpents embody acclaimed qualities including cunning and intelligence

Male giant panda Bao Li plays on a wooden climbing structure. Beginning on January 24, visitors to the National Zoo can finally see Bao Li and Qing Bao in person.

Pandamonium

The National Zoo’s Giant Pandas Are Finally Making Their Public Debut

Bao Li and Qing Bao, both 3 years old, are the latest black-and-white bears to call the nation’s capital home

A baby rusty-spotted cat, born at a French zoo in 2010. The newly discovered fossil is thought to belong to the same genus as modern rusty-spotted cats, which are among the smallest felines in the world.

Rare Jaw Fossil Found in China Might Belong to the World’s Smallest Cat

Scientists placed the extinct species, which may date back more than 300,000 years, in the same genus as modern leopard cats in Asia

Around the world, a wealth of new museums are also bringing art and culture, science and technology, and education and storytelling to the forefront.

Ten Must-See Museums Opening Around the World in 2025

New institutions dedicated to artificial intelligence, West African art, barbeque and more are expected to welcome visitors this year

The terra-cotta warriors were constructed in the third century B.C.E.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Rare Clay Commander Among Thousands of Life-Size Terra-Cotta Soldiers in China

The 2,000-year-old military general figurine is the tenth of its kind to be excavated from the emperor Qin Shi Huang’s tomb, which may hold up to 8,000 clay statues

Air Ring 48 attaches to the base of a construction helmet, providing crucial airflow to the sweatiest areas of the head and neck.

Could This New Wearable Device Reduce Heat Stress in Construction Workers?

Architecture students at the University of Hong Kong invented a cooling apparatus that attaches to a construction helmet

Siberian tigers Boris and Svetlaya lounge together in the wild. Boris walked 120 miles to reunite with her after their release from a rehabilitation program.

Two Orphaned Siberian Tigers Reunite as Mates After a 120-Mile Trek Through Russian Wilderness

Conservationists hope the love story between Boris and Svetlaya might indicate a new, successful chapter in tiger repopulation efforts

A cat in a stroller examines ancient Egyptian artifacts at the Shanghai Museum.

Hundreds of Curious Cats Contemplated Ancient Egyptian Artifacts During a Series of ‘Meowseum Nights’ in China

For ten nights, animal lovers brought their furry friends to “On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt” at the Shanghai Museum, where many examples of ancient cat imagery are on display

The near side of the moon has been studied more extensively than the far side.

The Far Side of the Moon Was Volcanically Active, New Studies Confirm

Scientists analyzed the first and only rock samples from the region, which were brought back to Earth as part of a recent Chinese mission

The first dinosaur fossils discovered in Hong Kong went on display last week.

Cool Finds

Paleontologists Discover Dinosaur Fossils in Hong Kong for the First Time

The metropolis is an important center for paleontological research, but until now, fossils of plants and fish were the only remains of dinosaur-era life found there

A composite image of Tugunbulak created using lidar scans

New Research

Archaeologists Map Two Forgotten Medieval Cities That Flourished Along the Silk Road in the Mountains of Central Asia

The new research could change history’s understanding of the sprawling trade network that connected Europe and the Middle East to East Asia

The newly discovered jade dragon artifact, as seen from different angles

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Mysterious Jade Dragon Artifact at a 5,000-Year-Old Tomb in China

Hundreds of artifacts have been unearthed at a burial mound in the city of Chifeng, but researchers are particularly intrigued by the six-inch-long object

Qing Bao, a 3-year-old female, is one of two giant pandas making the long journey from China to Washington, D.C. 

Pandamonium

The Smithsonian National Zoo’s New Giant Pandas Will Make Their Public Debut on January 24

A pair of 3-year-old giant pandas—a male named Bao Li and a female called Qing Bao—have officially arrived at the Zoo, where they will first acclimate to their new home

Marina Abramović standing on the Great Wall of China during her collaborative piece with Ulay in 1988

Nearly 40 Years After She Walked the Great Wall of China, Marina Abramović Returns to the Country With a New Exhibition

“Transforming Energy,” the artist’s first museum show in China, focuses on “artworks and objects that actively engage the audience”

An illustration of a pluripotent stem cell, which can be coaxed to develop into various kinds of tissue

World-First Stem Cell Treatment Reverses Diabetes for a Patient in China, Study Suggests

Scientists converted the patient’s own cells into blood sugar-regulating cell clusters before injecting them back into her abdomen—and one year later, she still doesn’t need insulin injections

The chunks of cheese were found alongside ancient mummies in China in 2003.

New Research

The World’s Oldest Cheese Was Buried in a Chinese Tomb 3,600 Years Ago. Now, Scientists Have Sequenced Its DNA

New research has revealed that the mysterious white substance found alongside three ancient mummies was once a soft cheese called kefir

View from the researchers' airplane flying over Japan

Scientists Have Found Bacteria and Fungi 10,000 Feet Up in the Air

The discovery has implications for human health, since the microbes included some that were still viable, some that could be infectious to humans and others that carried drug-resistant genes

The miniature cakes, which fit in the palm of a hand, are most commonly made with a thin pastry layer encasing a dense filling of sweetened red beans, melon purée or mixed nuts.

The Rebellious History of Mooncakes, the Note-Passing Dessert That Liberated China

During Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese around the world eat the miniature molded and filled cakes to wish their families wealth and happiness

Plastic pollution in Madagascar

Humans Pollute the Environment With 57 Million Tons of Plastic Each Year, Study Suggests

Scientists used A.I. to model local waste management in 50,000 municipalities worldwide and say the results suggest a need to improve access to waste collection systems

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