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Pandemic

A hallmark of our cognitive abilities is to be able to calculate and respond to future probabilities. We will have to adapt to this pandemic reality, but adaptation is something that humans are famously good at.

Covid-19

Why This Pandemic Won’t Be the Last

Smithsonian biological anthropologist Sabrina Sholts says Covid-19 illustrates that what makes us human also makes us more vulnerable to global contagions

Covid-19

The Fever That Struck New York

The front lines of a terrible epidemic, through the eyes of a young doctor profoundly touched by tragedy

The main oven at Pizzeria Da Michele is near customers’ tables. The waiter in the background holds marinaras.

Coastal Cities of Europe

Inside Naples’ World-Famous Pizza Culture

For hundreds of years, artisans in the southern Italian city have been cooking up the ultimate fast food

An analysis of the genome of the B.1.1.7 variant of the coronavirus overlaid on the CDC's map of different states' genome sequencing rates. Darker-shaded states have processed more genomes (relative to their total case count) than lighter, greener states.

Covid-19

Why the U.S. Is Struggling to Track Coronavirus Variants

A scattered and underfunded effort at genomic sequencing has hindered the country’s ability to detect different forms of the virus

In Singapore, a city-state notoriously tight on space, Apollo Aquaculture Group is building an eight-story indoor aquaculture facility.

An Eight-Story Fish Farm Will Bring Locally Produced Food to Singapore

The massive indoor aquaculture facility is an effort to boost food security for the small island city-state

The Facebook group "Krewe of House Floats" boasts 12,500 members and counting.

With Mardi Gras Parades Canceled, New Orleans Residents Are Turning Their Houses Into Floats

Louisiana locals have come up with a range of socially distanced alternatives to the city’s traditional festivities

Signals from smartwatches can help catch infections early.

Covid-19

Can Smartwatches Be Adapted to Help Detect Covid-19 Infections?

With new algorithms, wearable devices—collecting vital signs like heart rate and skin temperature—could catch illness early

Two filmmakers launched a nationwide fundraiser to help save the surviving bars.

LGBTQ+ Pride

The Rise and Fall of America’s Lesbian Bars

Only 15 nightlife spaces dedicated to queer and gay women remain in the United States

Public health officials are transforming spacious, open-air venues like Disneyland into "mega-site" vaccination centers.

Covid-19

Eight Unusual Covid-19 Vaccination Sites Around the World

From Disneyland to a Singapore airport, these are some of the surprising places being used as immunization centers

Bright lights and large crowds were ever-present at the Weihnachtsmarkt in Dresden, Germany, 2014.

Smithsonian Voices

A Taste of the German Christmas Market at Home

Normally. the German-speaking lands of Central Europe would be bustling filled with food, drink, good cheer, and other longstanding traditional activities

“Hogan in the Snow,” ca. 1985. Painted by Robert Draper (Diné [Navajo], 1938–2000). Chinle, Navajo Nation, Arizona. 26/6481

Smithsonian Voices

Christmas Across Indian Country, During the Pandemic and Before

This extraordinary year, we asked how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting people’s families and communities

As municipalities determined what public activities should or shouldn’t be permitted, people were puzzling through their own choices about how to celebrate the holidays.

What the Pandemic Christmas of 1918 Looked Like

Concerns about the safety of gift shopping, family gatherings and church services were on Americans’ minds then, too

Our favorite books this year are ones with messages that help kids understand the world around them.

The Ten Best Children’s Books of 2020

These top titles deliver history lessons, wordplay and a musical romp through the animal kingdom

In some states, the odds of having a Covid-positive guest at a ten-person dinner are as high as 80 percent.

Are Small Gatherings Driving Recent Covid-19 Surges? Policymakers and Scientists Are at Odds

Data suggests that universities, indoor dining and large parties may be the bigger culprits

Children who have been infected with the virus often experience mild or no symptoms at all, making them less likely to get tested.

Covid-19

More Than 1 Million U.S. Children Have Had Covid-19 Since the Start of the Pandemic

Almost 112,000 children tested positive during a one-week period ending on November 12, the largest single week increase in coronavirus cases in kids

The online market is flooded with coveted books, toys and antiques.

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Avid Collectors Find Joy in Their Prized Possessions

At home with their collectibles, many people are expanding, shrinking or reorganizing their treasure troves

When natural places are destroyed, wildlife are exposed to humans at the edges of their habitat, and they can expand their territories into urban areas, increasing the likelihood of contact with humans.

To Prevent Future Pandemics, Protect Nature

All six of the most recent pandemics have been linked to destructive human activities like deforestation, climate change and the wildlife trade

With air temperature at -17 degrees Celsius and water at 1 degree Celsius, Finns take a dip in an unfrozen hole of water after a sauna session in Vaasa, Finland.

Covid-19

What Americans Can Learn From Winter-Loving Cultures

With large indoor gatherings off-limits, the Covid-19 pandemic is giving everyone more reason to stay outside

Halloween 2020 is having its moment, even if it will feel different compared to years past.

From Wider Corn Mazes to Virtual Haunted Houses, Halloween Looks Different This Year

The coronavirus pandemic has destinations around the country getting creative when it comes to celebrating the holiday

“The pandemic has, in almost every dimension, made inequity worse,” said Bill Gates during a press conference about the results of the Goalkeepers Report.

New Report Details Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic on Global Health

The annual Gates Foundation report assesses global progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

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