Articles tagged as Death | Smithsonian Magazine

Cool Finds

Here’s What Actually Happens During an Execution by Molten Gold

It’s probably not the gold itself that kills you, but rather the steam

June 10, 2014

Navajo Code Talkers during World War II.

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The Last Navajo Code Talker Has Died

Chester Nez played an instrumental role in World War II

June 5, 2014

The climbers are still missing, but authorities suspect they were buried by an avalanche

June 2, 2014

Maya Angelou was poet, novelist, educator, producer, actress, filmmaker, dancer and civil rights activist

May 28, 2014

Cool Finds

Mosquitoes Kill More Humans Than Human Murderers Do

From a human perspective, this makes them the deadliest animal in the world by far

April 30, 2014

Cool Finds

Americans Are Living Longer, Healthier Lives, But Suicide And Drug-Induced Deaths Are on the Rise

Heart disease and cancer are still the big killers, but digging deeper into death statistics reveals some alarming trends

April 22, 2014

With at least 12 dead, today is worse than the day in 1996 when eight people were killed in a storm

April 18, 2014

Marquez attributed his writing to drawing as a child…and Franz Kafka

April 18, 2014

Cool Finds

A Recent Uptick in Cancer Patient Suicides in Russia Might Be Tied to the Unavailability of Painkillers

Procuring strong painkillers in Russia - even when the prognosis is death - is exceedingly difficult

April 11, 2014

New Research

There Are Regional Differences in Death Row Inmates’ Last Words

Southerners are more likely to say sorry, but that doesn’t mean they actually feel remorse

April 10, 2014

Cool Finds

The Golden Gate Bridge Will Soon Get a Suicide Net Add-On

After record suicide numbers last year, the city will vote in May whether or not to install the net

March 28, 2014

Cool Finds

Where Are All the Babies in Archaeological Sites?

To figure out whether ancient people cremated their babies, archaeologists set some piglets on fire

March 26, 2014

New Research

Switzerland Is One of the World’s Happiest Countries And One of Its “Suicide Capitals”

New data from the country’s assisted suicide clinics reveal demographics about who is most likely to seek help in ending their own life

February 20, 2014

New Research

South Australia Has a Higher Rate of Hypothermia Deaths Than Sweden

Weather can be dangerous when preparedness and support are lacking

February 13, 2014

Shirley Temple with William Lyon Mackenzie King, then Prime Minister of Canada, in 1944.

What did Shirley Temple get up to in the 63 years after her retirement from Hollywood?

February 11, 2014

Excessive heat and drought in England currently is a relatively rare and mild occurrence, but it's predicted to get much worse in the coming decades.

New Research

In the Next 40 Years, Heat-Related Deaths Could More Than Double in the U.K.

As the world warms up, the number of heat-related deaths will likely increase across the board

February 5, 2014

Your Probability of Dying Doubles Every Eight Years

It’s a brand new year, and the chances that this one will be your last might be higher than you suspect

January 2, 2014

Can This App Predict Your Death?

When are you going to die? You probably don’t know the answer to that question - but if you download this app you could find out. Sort of

December 9, 2013

Ghost Hunters Burn Down Historic Mansion

In Old Arabi, Louisiana the historic LeBeau Plantation was burned down by men looking for ghosts, according to local news reports

November 25, 2013

The distribution of drug deaths in American counties from 2008 to 2009

Deaths From Drug Overdoses Are Soaring

Across America, the rate of drug overdose deaths has risen by 300%

November 14, 2013