History of Science
Captain Cook’s 1768 Voyage to the South Pacific Included a Secret Mission
The explorer traveled to Tahiti under the auspices of science 250 years ago, but his secret orders were to continue Britain’s colonial project
How Scientists Discovered Helium, the First Alien Element, 150 Years Ago
First found only on the sun, scientists doubted the mysterious element even existed for more than a decade
How Saddam and ISIS Killed Iraqi Science
Within decades the country’s scientific infrastructure went from world-class to shambles. What happened?
The 18th-Century Lady Mathematician Who Loved Calculus and God
After writing a groundbreaking math textbook, Maria Agnesi quit math for good
How Soviet Bomb Tests Paved the Way For U.S. Climate Science
The untold story of a failed Russian geoengineering scheme, panic in the Pentagon, and a Nixon-era effort to study global cooling
Why Scientists Name Species
From the Beyonce fly to the David Attenborough possum, the names we bestow on animals have real conservation impacts
Science Still Bears the Fingerprints of Colonialism
Western science long relied on the knowledge and exploitation of colonized peoples. In many ways, it still does
How Advertising Shaped the First Opioid Epidemic
And what it can teach us about the second
The Rockstar Geologist Who Mapped the Minerals of the Cosmos
A professor told Ursula Marvin she should learn to cook. Instead she chased down meteorites in Antarctica
The History of Breeding Mice for Science Begins With a Woman in a Barn
Far more than a mouse fancier, Abbie Lathrop helped establish the standard mouse model and pioneered research into cancer inheritance
Sometimes, a Scientific “Eureka!” Moment Really Does Change the World
Your plastic credit card, microwaveable popcorn and erection enhancers all owe to a fortuitous moment of connection
Women Who Shaped Science
Smithsonian.com is sharing the stories of women scientists who also changed the world, but were written out of history.
How Does Foucault's Pendulum Prove the Earth Rotates?
This elegant scientific demonstration has been delighting everyday people for nearly 200 years
In Stellar Tribute, Astronauts Teach "Lost Lessons" From Educator Who Died on <em>Challenger</em>
Christa McAuliffe had planned to teach the lessons during her 1986 trip to space. Now, two astronauts will finally carry out the plan
The Woman Who Transformed How We Teach Geography
By blending education and activism, Zonia Baber made geography a means of uniting—not conquering—the globe
How the Presidency Took Control of America's Nuclear Arsenal
From Truman onwards, the ability to order a nuclear strike has shaped the office
When a Medical “Cure” Makes Things Much, Much Worse
In 1960s Japan, a bizarre outbreak of hairy green tongues failed to set off alarms around the world
This American Doctor Pioneered Abdominal Surgery by Operating on Enslaved Women
Glorified with a statue in the U.S. Capitol, Ephraim McDowell is a hero in Kentucky, but the full story needs to be told
Thank(?) Joseph Shivers For Spandex
From Spanx to space suits, spandex has shaped modern garments
Three Medical Breakthroughs That Can Be Traced Back to a Tragic Nightclub Fire
Four hundred ninety-two people died as a result of the horrifying fire, an unprecedented death toll that led physicians to make unprecedented innovations
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