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Rituals and Traditions

As the story goes, the makers of the first talking board asked the board what they should call it; the name “Ouija” came through.

The Ouija Board Can’t Connect Us to Paranormal Forces—but It Can Tell Us a Lot About Psychology, Grief and Uncertainty

The game was born from Americans’ obsession with Spiritualism in the 19th century. Since then, it’s functioned as a reflection of their deep-seated beliefs and anxieties for more than a century

If a reader stared at one of Spectropia’s illustrations under a strong light source for about 20 seconds and then gazed at a blank wall in a darkened room, a version of that image in inverted colors appeared.

This 19th-Century ‘Toy Book’ Used Science to Prove That Ghosts Were Simply an Illusion

“Spectropia” demystified the techniques used by mediums who claimed they could speak to the dead, revealing the “absurd follies of Spiritualism”

A colorized photo of superhero rodent Mighty Mouse’s exuberant turn in the 1951 parade.

How the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Went From Its Modest Start to an American Tradition Rivaling Stuffing and Pumpkin Pie

A century on, the country’s most beloved Thursday spectacle reaches new heights

Shrunken Head Bob from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice claimed the top spot on this year's rankings.

The Top 25 Trending Halloween Costumes of 2024, According to Google

This year, celebrants will likely be channeling characters from hit franchises like “Beetlejuice,” “Inside Out” and “Deadpool”

The newly discovered jade dragon artifact, as seen from different angles

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Mysterious Jade Dragon Artifact at a 5,000-Year-Old Tomb in China

Hundreds of artifacts have been unearthed at a burial mound in the city of Chifeng, but researchers are particularly intrigued by the six-inch-long object

Matthew Vincent, Josh Gates and Pearce Paul Creasman digging in front of the Treasury building in Petra, Jordan

Cool Finds

Archaeologists in Petra Discover Secret Tomb Hiding Beneath a Mysterious Structure Featured in ‘Indiana Jones’

The recent excavation beneath the Treasury has revealed 12 complete human skeletons and a trove of grave goods dating back 2,000 years

Around Halloween, hundreds of revelers dress up as witches and warlocks and hit the water.

Why Are Witches and Warlocks Going Stand-Up Paddleboarding to Celebrate Halloween?

Across the country, revelers are dressing in costumes and gliding across bodies of water on stand-up paddleboards to ring in the spooky season

A participant dressed up as a demon brandishes a stick with fireworks during Correfoc in Catalonia.

Halloween Is Spooky. But So Are These Eight Other Celebrations Around the World

From Setsubun in Japan to Fèt Gede in Haiti, these festivals relish in the macabre

The memorial artwork hadn't been seen since the 1970s, when it was placed on a replica of Kennedy's gravesite in Upperville, Virginia.

Untold Stories of American History

A Secret Sculpture Built for John F. Kennedy’s Grave Vanished in the 1970s. Half a Century Later, the Mystery Has Been Solved

The bronze wreath immortalized the moment when the members of the Honor Guard removed their hats and placed them on the president’s grave during his burial

The woman's remains were contained in two painted coffins, one stacked inside the other.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Intricately Decorated Coffins Belonging to the Only Daughter of an Ancient Egyptian Governor

The 4,000-year-old burial chamber featured hieroglyphs referring to the woman, known as Idi, as the “lady of the house”

Seemingly still waters wind through colorful canopies displaying warm autumn hues on a hazy September morning.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 24 Beautiful Photos of Fall Foliage in Its Most Vibrant Colors

These highlights from the Smithsonian Photo Contest celebrate the autumn

In the late 19th century, bereaved and yard-less pet owners began showing up at Hyde Park in London, imploring the groundskeeper to allow them to lay their dog or cat to rest there.

Why the World’s First Pet Cemetery Was Revolutionary

A new book charts the history of pet cemeteries and honors the universal experience of grieving an animal companion

Researchers excavated a crypt in Milan and found human remains containing evidence of cocaine use.

New Research

Europeans Were Using Cocaine in the 17th Century—Hundreds of Years Earlier Than Historians Thought

Scientists identified traces of the drug in the brain tissue of two individuals buried in the crypt of a hospital in Milan

The miniature cakes, which fit in the palm of a hand, are most commonly made with a thin pastry layer encasing a dense filling of sweetened red beans, melon purée or mixed nuts.

The Rebellious History of Mooncakes, the Note-Passing Dessert That Liberated China

During Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese around the world eat the miniature molded and filled cakes to wish their families wealth and happiness

A few costumed tykes—including a Batman and a Green Hornet—hitting the streets in Oakland, New Jersey, in October 1966. 

The Celtic Origins of Trick-or-Treating

The spine-tingling roots of a mischievous Halloween tradition

A fire dancer lights a fire beneath Zozobra during the 99th Annual Burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy Park on September 1, 2023 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

For 100 Years, Santa Feans Have Burned New Mexico’s Boogeyman in a ‘Sacred Rite of Purification, Laughter and Rebirth’

The original “burning man” was the brainchild of a local artist and involves volunteers constructing a 50-foot-tall villain

When researchers excavated part of the ball court, they found a mysterious structure beneath it.

Cool Finds

Researchers Unearth Mysterious Structure Beneath Maya Ball Court

Featuring painted stucco walls, the structure likely dates to between 200 and 600 C.E.

Today, visitors can walk the grounds for free or enter three of the tombs for a small fee.

China Plans to Open Ming Dynasty Tombs to the Public by 2030

The sprawling burial complex on the outskirts of Beijing was built to hold the remains of 13 emperors

Luis Muro Ynoñán poses with a carving of a mythological bird-like creature.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth 4,000-Year-Old Ceremonial Temple in Peru

The structure appears to predate Machu Picchu, the country’s best-known archaeological site, by 3,500 years

The well-preserved statue is nearly seven feet tall.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Stumble Upon Marble Statue of Greek God in Ancient Sewer

The 2,000-year-old statue, which likely depicts Hermes, is a monumental discovery for Bulgaria

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