Articles tagged as Death | Smithsonian Magazine

Swiss Miss sells more than 50 million boxes every year

Charles Sanna’s Cocoa Packets Changed the Way We Drink Hot Chocolate

Sanna invented Swiss Miss, the first instant hot chocolate mix that could be made with hot water instead of milk

April 5, 2019

Researcher Jack Ashby initially suspected a crow was responsible for the toad's skinning, but after examining the photo, he concluded that an otter was the more likely culprit

Why Otters Disembowel Toads Before Eating Them

The unfortunate amphibian likely fell victim to an otter, which skinned it to avoid ingesting the deadly toxins found in its glands

April 1, 2019

Illustrated Police News periodical detailing the murders

New Book Chronicles the Lives of Jack the Ripper’s Victims

Contrary to popular belief, the five women were not all prostitutes, but rather individuals down on their luck

March 6, 2019

First responders walk through a neighborhood in Beauregard, Alabama.

So far, 23 people are confirmed dead in Lee County, Alabama, after Sunday’s tornadoes

March 5, 2019

Belarus' servicemen excavate a mass grave for the prisoners of a Jewish ghetto set up by the Nazis during World War II in the city of Brest.

So far, authorities have recovered 730 sets of remains, though there may be many more

February 27, 2019

The levels of radioactive material found at the scene weren't high enough to cause radiation poisoning, but experts point out that extended exposure could cause health problems over time

Radioactive Material Transferred by Cancer Patient’s Body Contaminated an Arizona Crematorium

Researchers also found traces of a different radioactive isotope, likely linked with a separate cremation, in a worker’s urine

February 27, 2019

It’s likely the beached calf was separated from its mother during the humpback whales’ mass migration south

As Humpback Whales Migrate to Antarctica, One Straggler Washes Ashore in the Amazon

Scientists found the one-year-old calf’s carcass around 50 feet inland on a remote Brazilian island

February 26, 2019

The U.S. Has the Highest Overdose Death Rate of Any Wealthy Nation

A new study has found that there are, on average, 3.5 times more drug-related deaths in the United States than in 17 other wealthy countries

February 25, 2019

Frank Robinson taking a swing during a circa late 1960s Major League Baseball game at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.

Robinson was one of the great all-time home run hitters and made history when he became the manager of the Cleveland Indians

February 8, 2019

New Research

Was Alexander the Great Pronounced Dead Prematurely?

A new theory suggests he was only paralyzed when he was declared dead, but it’s impossible to prove he had Guillain-Barré Syndrome with the existing facts

February 5, 2019

A collapsed dam left 200 people missing and at least 58 dead, officials say. Rescuers search using helicopters.

Mine waste and sludge have contaminated a huge stretch of the Paraopeba River

January 28, 2019

Sandler, often known as “Bunny,” played an important role in creating the landmark legislation

January 11, 2019

Cool Finds

Burials Suggest Icelandic Vikings Had a Thing for Stallions

Adding some insight into their little-known funerary practices, DNA analyses confirm that sacrificial stallions were buried in Viking graves

January 10, 2019

In trials, the app correctly identified breathing patterns indicative of impending overdose 90 percent of the time

This App Tracks Breathing to Identify Opioid Overdoses Before They Turn Deadly

Second Chance transforms smartphones into sonar systems, tracking users’ breathing and sending for help if a potential overdose is detected

January 10, 2019

The researchers posit that Darwin contracted Lyme disease while exploring the expanses of Great Britain

Did Charles Darwin Have Lyme Disease?

New study attributes British naturalist’s persistent poor health to tick-borne disease

January 8, 2019

The shell mound erected above the woman's grave prevented acidic soil from destroying her remains

Archaeologists Identify Oldest Known Human Burial in Lower Central America

The unusually muscular young woman was buried in what is now Nicaragua nearly 6,000 years ago

January 4, 2019

President Barack Obama greets Richard Overton, with Earlene Love-Karo, in the Blue Room of the White House, Nov. 11, 2013.

Richard Overton, Nation’s Oldest Living Combat Veteran, Dies at 112

The beloved World War II vet didn’t let old age stop him from enjoying his 12 daily cigars, whiskey-spiked coffee and butter pecan ice cream

January 3, 2019

Four infected ponies were euthanized at the end of December

Swamp Cancer Kills Seven of Chincoteague’s Beloved Wild Ponies

The deadly infection leaves itchy lesions clustered across victims’ bodies

January 2, 2019

Sister Wendy sought to make some of the world's most renowned artists accessible to her audience.

Remembering Sister Wendy Beckett, Beloved Nun Who Made Art Accessible

A surprising rise to fame catapulted her into television stardom, where she used her platform to share artistic masterpieces with the public

December 28, 2018

The 1999 discovery of the Nebra Sky Disc, a 3,600-year-old bronze object adorned with gold renderings of celestial bodies, sparked resurgence of interest in deceased prince, who was buried at same archaeological site

This Bronze Age Regicide May Be World’s Oldest-Known Political Murder

The prince of Helmsdorf’s skeleton revealed three brutal injuries, including one that suggests he knew his killer and attempted to fend off the attack

December 26, 2018