Articles tagged as Government | Smithsonian Magazine

President Boris Yeltsin hands over a copy of the Russian constitution to Vladimir Putin, December 21, 1999.

In the 25 years since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has changed dramatically—and it’s more important than ever to understand those changes

December 29, 2016

Harold Israel, left, and Homer Cummings, right, were linked for life.

The Suspect, the Prosecutor, and the Unlikely Bond They Forged

New evidence shows that Homer Cummings, who would later be FDR’s attorney general, rescued an innocent man accused of murder

January 2017

What is the agency weighing in on the incoming administrations potential conflicts of interest?

December 2, 2016

A Colombian man cries during a June 20 peace protest in Bogotá.

Four out of five of the decades-long conflict’s dead were civilians

Updated: December 1, 2016 | Originally Published: August 26, 2016

The FTC recently announced a policy requiring alternative treatment labels to acknowledge the lack of scientific founding of their claims

November 22, 2016

100 years ago, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to Congress

November 7, 2016

The Great Flying Saucer Mystery of 1966

When policemen spotted a “flying saucer” in 1966, an official investigation declared it was an optical illusion created by swamp gas

October 27, 2016

People protest the Ethiopian government's alleged killing of Oromo students and seizure of Oromo lands in Addis Ababa in 2014.

Anti-government protests have roiled the fast-growing country

October 11, 2016

How Waffle House Uses Twitter to Help Recovery Efforts

FEMA themselves admit that they look to the omnipresent chain to see where the damage is the worst

Updated: October 7, 2016 | Originally Published: August 30, 2012

Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Oren Lyons, Ph.D., (right), and The Tadodaho of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chief Sidney Hill, examine a treaty at the National Museum of the American Indian

That adds to 95 cases the U.S. has settled with native groups since 2012

September 29, 2016

People sit on a roof waiting to be rescued after Hurricane Katrina

Eleven Years After Katrina, What Lessons Can We Learn Before the Next Disaster Strikes?

Author and playwright John Biguenet offers his thoughts on the narrative of destruction

August 31, 2016

Image captured from the 1948 Republican National Convention.

Cool Finds

Watch Historic Footage of Seven Consequential (and Cringeworthy) Convention Moments

These tidbits of political theater past must be seen to be believed

July 18, 2016

Theresa May, the U.K.'s newest Prime Minister.

Theresa May will become the U.K.’s newest Prime Minister tomorrow

July 12, 2016

Self-driving busses, cars that communicate with streetlights, and more will be headed to Columbus.

The city beat out 77 others vying for the chance to update its infrastructure with the latest and greatest technology

June 27, 2016

The House of Representatives' rostrum has been the site of brawls, debates and sit-ins.

There’s more to the House floor than meets the eye

June 23, 2016

Protestors sit outside a local town hall.

Local artists want the Venkatappa Art Gallery to stay public

April 26, 2016

German beers have been under strict rules for 500 years.

Celebrating 500 Years of German’s Beer Purity Law

Germany’s treasured—and controversial—rule has a fascinating past and an uncertain future

April 22, 2016

When Robots Take Our Jobs, Should Everyone Still Get a Paycheck?

A concept called universal basic income is gaining traction as a way to help people deal with machines taking over the job market

March 21, 2016

FCC chairman Tom Wheeler speaking at the 2015 TechCrunch Disrupt conference.

Regulators are taking on internet service providers over targeted ads

March 15, 2016

Future of Energy

Five Technologies That Would Heat or Cool People and Not Entire Buildings

Research groups are developing robots, fabrics and furniture that could lead to energy savings

March 15, 2016