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Plants

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The Year’s Most Outstanding Science Visualizations

A juried competition honors photographs, illustrations, videos, posters, games and apps that marry art and science in an evocative way

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PHOTOS: Orchids of Latin America

Known for being particularly eye-catching, the orchids of Latin America are part of religious, cultural and even culinary life in the region

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Plants Flower Nearly a Month Earlier Than They Did A Century Ago

In 2012, many plants in the eastern U.S. flowered earlier than in any other year on record

Red Acorn, 40 years old

Covered in Ink, Cross-sections of Trees Make Gorgeous Prints

Connecticut-based artist Bryan Nash Gill uses ink to draw out the growth rings of a variety of tree species

Last summer, a study found that long-term cannabis use reduced cognitive skills. A new study seems to say the opposite.

Long-Term Marijuana Use Could Have Zero Effect on IQ

Last summer, a study found that long-term cannabis use reduced cognitive skills. A new study seems to say the opposite

Comet ISON, still just a faint glimmer at the crosshairs of this telescope image, could be the brightest comet in a generation next November.

5 Science Stories to Watch in 2013

The new year could feature discoveries of life within subglacial Antarctic lakes, the brightest comet in generations and more

A new study indicates that marijuana isn’t a painkiller, but a pain distracter: Under the influence of THC, the same levels of pain are simply less bothersome.

Marijuana Isn’t a Pain Killer—It’s a Pain Distracter

A new study finds that under the influence of marijuana, the same levels of pain are simply less bothersome

Beehive ginger

Flower Power, Redefined

In a new book, Andrew Zuckerman embraces minimalism, capturing 150 colorful blooms on white backdrops

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Smithsonian Curators Offer Up a Holiday Gift Guide for History Lovers

The best of history reads from Lincoln’s true thoughts on slavery, to the White House dinner that shocked a nation, to California’s hip-hop scene

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Ask Smithsonian 2017

Why Does the Durian Fruit Smell So Terrible?

Scientists examine what chemicals make the Asian fruit smell like “turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock”

Delphinium pergrinum

Amazing Close-Ups of Seeds

A scientist-artist duo creates stunning images, taken through a scanning electron microscope, of seeds in the Millennium Seed Bank

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Nikon Announces the Winners of its “Small World” Competition

See a selection of beautiful images captured by scientists gazing through light microscopes

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Sinfully Delicious Apples That You Should Never Try to Eat

Inspired by the work of Cornell scientists, Los Angeles-based Jessica Rath creates sculptures and photographs of the autumn fruit

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VIDEO: Watch This Carnivorous Plant Fling an Insect Into Its Mouth

A small plant native to Australia features two sets of touch-sensitive tentacles to catapult insects towards its digestive concavity and then draw them in deeper

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PHOTOS: Tour Smithsonian Gardens’ Fall Flowers

The heat and torrents of rain have paid off with bright, beautiful blooms around the Mall

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Picture-Perfect Bonsai

In a new book, botanical photographer Jonathan Singer focuses his lens on the potted plants

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This African Fruit Produces the World’s Most Intense Natural Color

Pollia condensata produces its striking deep blue color with a mechanism virtually unknown in plants

Experiments show several natural herbs provide some protection from the sun.

Can Natural Herbs Protect Your Skin From the Sun?

A number of studies indicate that several herb extracts could protect against sunburn and other damage from UV light

Flying foxes roost in the trees in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens in 2008.

Bats Lose Out to Historic Trees in Sydney

Flying foxes can defoliate trees, but should the Royal Botanic Garden shoo this vulnerable species from its grounds?

Computer models indicate that wildfires will become more frequent in temperate regions as the climate changes over the coming decades

Climate Change Means More Wildfires in the West

A new study indicates that temperate regions will experience more fires, while equatorial areas will see fewer

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