Pop culture

A Bengali edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The beloved children's book by British scholar Charles Lutwidge Dodgson has been translated into every major language and numerous minor ones, including many that are extinct or invented.

The Mad Challenge of Translating "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

Explore the linguistic tricks used to make Lewis Carroll's puns, parodies and nonsense accessible in hundreds of tongues

On July 13, Barnum's American Museum was the site of a disastrous fire.

150 Years Ago, a Fire in P.T. Barnum's Museum Boiled Two Whales Alive

Attracting tourists and locals alike, the museum mixed freakshow performers with educational collections

Australians Are Building a Skyscraper Inspired by Beyoncé

Architects envision a rippling structure that takes a page from the singer’s famous look

San Diego’s First Comic-Con Was Held in a Basement

The original fan gathering only attracted 145 people

The Jazz pattern that graced paper cups, like this one in the 1990s, remains a source of fascination in pop culture.

How the Internet Tracked Down the Designer of the Beloved Jazz Paper Cup

Meet Gina, the woman behind the iconic paper cup pattern

Rice Lake in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve.

One Vancouver Forest Played Just About Every Wooded Locale on "The X-Files"

If the truth is still out there, there’s a good chance it’s in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve

One of the LATA 65 students works on a mural in Lisbon.

Lisbon Artists Are Teaching Graffiti Classes for the Elderly

Grannies learn about street art history and how to tag walls

Today nylon adds stretch to fishnets (worn here by Shelley Winters) and a variety of legwear.

Why Nylons' Run is Over

They were a craze when they debuted 75 years ago, but have since been replaced by new social norms

Celebrities: Popular then forgotten. Recognize her? No?Don't worry, this is just a stock photo.

How Long Do Cultural References Last?

Not forever

Doing science in the field wrecks havoc on the nails

Just Another #ManicureMonday for Women Scientists and Their Dirty Nails

For a Smithsonian researcher, Monday is a day to honor the women in science and other uses for nail polish

Popular Music Changed the Most in 1964

Scientists use genomic data to show how pop music evolves

Hargrove greets Takara at SeaWorld of Texas in 2012.

Why Killer Whales Belong in the Ocean, Not SeaWorld

A former orca trainer makes the case against the theme park

Björk’s music video “All Is Full of Love” received wide acclaim and was deemed a milestone in computer graphics. In 2011, it was placed in Time’s list of The 30 All-TIME Best Music Videos.

Bjork Is Getting a Retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art

The Icelandic singer's iconic style will be on view at the New York institution

No snowman is perfect, but a bit of physics know-how can help in the construction process.

Do You Want To Build a Snowman? Physics Can Help

Here’s what you need to know about the science of constructing your very own Olaf

Small town travel, the Monuments Men, Chernobyl and Stonehenge were all among reader favorites in 2014

Our Top Stories of 2014

From weird red waterfalls to the pleasures of small-town America, these were the most read articles on Smithsonian.com this year

James Franco and Seth Rogen are just the latest actors to draw ire from political leaders.

"The Interview" Joins the Ranks of These Banned or Restricted Movies

From a Charlie Chaplin comedy to a Mae West melodrama, plenty of controversial films have been pulled or even destroyed since the dawn of cinema

Bill Nye enthusiastically greets students and faculty at Cal State Fullerton in California earlier this year.

Bill Nye on the Risks of Not Debating With Creationists

Bill Nye the Science Guy has a book out on evolution. Here’s what he has to say

Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, photographed here in Paris in 1993, died on October 20, 2014.

Oscar de la Renta, Star of the Smithsonian's Costume Collection

The late de la Renta designed haute couture and ready-to-wear. A decade ago, he donated items to the Smithsonian

Joan Baez by Russell Hoban, 1962

When It Comes To the Baby Boomers, It Is Still All About "Me"

Millennials have got nothing over the Me Generation, says cultural historian Amy Henderson after touring two new shows on Boomers and the '60s

I don't mind being nursed along, ca. 1915: In addition to being associated with loose morals and lower class status, private duty nurses at the turn of the century were also often portrayed as romantic love interests for their patients.

The Evolution of the Nurse Stereotype via Postcards: From Drunk to Saint to Sexpot to Modern Medical Professional

A postcard exhibit at the National Library of Medicine shows how the cultural perception of nurses has changed over the decades

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