Nature

Desolate wilderness surrounds the giant Lake Baikal, the deepest, oldest and most voluminous lake on earth.

Lake Baikal and More of the Weirdest Lakes of the World

Set deep within the Russian subcontinent, Baikal is the deepest, oldest and most voluminous of all lakes

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Newly Acquired Whale Skull a “Missing Link”

Marine mammals expert Charles Potter has big plans for his newest acquisition

Seemingly benign bovines and other livestock eat soybeans from the deforested tropics, emit clouds of methane, pollute streams and gobble up 30 percent of the world’s grain production. It makes one wonder whether the world might taste better without them.

Is the Livestock Industry Destroying the Planet?

For the earth's sake, maybe it's time we take a good, hard look at our dietary habits

Beautiful and educational, X-ray images help us learn more about evolution.

Events July 31-Aug 2: X-Ray Fish, Imperial India and Club Native

This week at the Smithsonian, the evolution of fish through X-Ray, India's imperial arts and the divisive legacy of Native blood laws

A list of more great books to read while traveling

More Great Books and Where Best to Read Them

A continuation of last week's list of the author's favorite reads

This Sunday, learn Kathak, one of eight traditional Indian dances.

Events July 27-29: Human Origins, “This is Peru” and a Meeting of Worlds

Celebrate Peru and learn traditional Indian dance this weekend

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Why the Idea of Killing Sharks to Make Waters Safer Is Absurd

The recent fatal shark attack off Western Australia has ignited a debate there over whether the fish should continue to be protected

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Sam Kean Decodes DNA’s Past

The author discusses his new book, a collection of entertaining stories about the field of genetics titled The Violinst's Thumb

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Great Books—and the Best Places to Read Them

Reading while traveling can serve as a sensory supplement to one's surrounding environment. Here are some of my favorite books and where to read them

Research Associate Alain Touwaide, seated in his office in the Natural History Museum, argues Rome’s great expansion was driven not by geopolitical strategy, but by a need for plants.

Colds and Conquests: How A Health Crisis May Have Spurred Roman Expansion

Smithsonian Research Associate Alain Touwaide will argue that a quest for medicinal plants may have spurred Roman expansion at his July 18 lecture

A map of Chicago, Illinois, imprinted in 1913 from the United States Geographical Survey’s historical topographic map collection.

A Treasure Trove of Old Maps at Your Fingertips

Soon, all of the United States Geographical Survey's old topographical maps will be available online

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WWII Navy Corpsman Collected Birds Between Pacific Theater Battles

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Return of the King Salmon

In the ocean waters just off California's Central Coast, the fish are swarming this summer like they haven't in years

Figs are a great prize of roadside foragers—a fruit unwanted by many landowners and as available as it is delicious. The green figs shown here are desert kings, a variety that produces a large first crop in July.

Hungry? Pull Over. Here’s Your Guide to the Best Bets of Roadside Foraging

All along the roadways of America—and the world—there's figs, avocados and wild berries ripe for the picking

Works like this, Untitled by Jackson Pollock, can cause a fair amount of head scratching. So is it art? Find out Tuesday July 10.

Events July 10-12: Questionable Art, Crafty Mail, and the Battle of Shiloh

This week at the Smithsonian, debate the merits of contemporary art, craft your own stationery, and learn more about the Battle of Shiloh

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The Tallest, Strongest and Most Iconic Trees in the World

Where to see the greatest trees in the world

Does it get any better than this? Trees, shade, green grass and a pair of horizontal bars beside the Dordogne River, in Souillac, add up to one of the finest outdoor workout stations in France.

Fitness Afar: Great Places to Hang Out at the Bar

Going abroad needn’t mean going flabby—globe-trotters can find pull-up bars and other outdoor gymnastics equipment in some of the most unexpected places

Cork oaks recently harvested of their bark are a common sight in the southern Iberian Peninsula. These middle-aged trees are growing in the Spanish province of Extremadura.

Cork Trees: Soft-Skinned Monarchs of the Mediterranean

A cork tree stripped of its bark will be harvested again in nine years—if people are still using cork by then

Sarah Rhodes’ photographs capture a movement to revive aboriginal traditions.

Ancient Traditions, New Stories: Reviving the Aboriginal Possum Skin Cloak

Photographer Sarah Rhodes documents how aboriginal communities in Australia are reclaiming their heritage

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Spain: Of Sun, Siestas — and Salmon?

About a dozen Spanish streams support native runs of Atlantic salmon, but anglers are deeply divided about how to fish for them

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