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Latest Features

The vagus nerve sprawls from the brain through the body, innervating our organs and managing life support and emotion.

SCIENCE

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Longest Nerve in the Body

Electric taxis known as Electrobats drive through Manhattan in 1898. A similar vehicle fatally struck Henry Hale Bliss on September 13, 1899.

HISTORY

On This Day in 1899, a Car Fatally Struck a Pedestrian for the First Time in American History

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.

TRAVEL

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

A young blackpoll warbler with a NanoTag on Borgles Island, Nova Scotia

SCIENCE

Tiny Trackers Are Revealing the Secret Lives of Tens of Thousands of Birds

Germany’s North and Baltic Seas are littered with munitions from the First and Second World Wars, such as shells—as shown here—once fired from German battleships.

INNOVATION

A Massive Effort Is Underway to Rid the Baltic Sea of Sunken Bombs

A 17th-century painting of the September 10, 1622, Great Genna Martyrdom, in which 55 Christians were beheaded or burned alive

HISTORY

Why a Japanese Shogun Brutally Executed 55 Catholics on This Day in 1622, Driving the Country's Christians Underground

The blind side of a Remo flounder's head as it was being dissected

AT THE SMITHSONIAN

These Fish Transformed Their Dorsal Fins Into Taste Buds

Boats, lights and fog help create a serene nighttime scene in Rio de Janeiro.

TRAVEL

Bask in the Beauty of Brazil With These 15 Stunning Photographs

Current Issue

Smithsonian magazine September/October 2024 issue cover

Most Popular

1.

Smart News

See 15 Stunning Images From the Ocean Photographer of the Year Awards

The winning and highly commended underwater photography spotlights breathtaking animal behavior, conservation needs and the otherworldly environment of Earth's oceans

2.

Science

See 15 Amazing Photos of Beautiful Birds

These Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest images celebrate our feathered friends

3.

Smart News

The National Museum of American History Collects Mariska Hargitay's Costume From 'Law & Order: SVU'

The Smithsonian museum accepted a detective suit and badge worn by the actress' character, Olivia Benson, on the long-running procedural

4.

Science

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Longest Nerve in the Body

Like a highway system, the vagus nerve branches profusely from your brain through your organs to marshal bodily functions, including aspects of the mind such as mood, pleasure and fear

5.

Smart News

This Forgotten Copy of the Constitution Discovered in a Filing Cabinet Could Sell for Millions

The historic text, which bears the signature of Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson, was one of 100 copies ordered on September 28, 1787

Smithsonian Voices
National Museum of Natural History

Across the Smithsonian, Researchers are Working Together to Save Virginia’s Birds

National Museum of Natural History

Searching for Earth's Oldest Rocks: Follow a Smithsonian Expedition to the Remote Northwest Territories

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Hot, Fresh & Flooded: These Wetlands Spew Out the Most Methane

Smithsonian Books

How Art Shapes Our Perception of American Workers

National Air and Space Museum

A World War II Veteran Recalls the Adventure of Patrolling the Pacific Aboard Flying Boats

Office of the Secretary of the Smithsonian

How the Civil War Spawned the Mail-In Ballot

See All

Special Report
Olympic rings are seen on the Eiffel Tower near the restored statue of "Cavalier Arabe" on the Pont d'Iéna bridge in Paris on July 4, 2024, ahead of the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

The Paris Olympics

Prepare yourself for the Paris Olympics with this comprehensive guide to the history, science, arts and thrills of the worldwide celebration

View Full Report

Featured Stories

A History of Gymnastics, From Ancient Greece to Tokyo 2020

The Paris Games' Mascot, the Olympic Phryge, Boasts a Little-Known Revolutionary Past

How Wheaties Became the 'Breakfast of Champions'

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Smithsonian Videos

Preview thumbnail for video 'The Ultimate Skywatching Guide for Every Season

The Ultimate Skywatching Guide for Every Season

Play
Preview thumbnail for video 'The Best Small Towns to Celebrate Winter

The Best Small Towns to Celebrate Winter

Preview thumbnail for video 'The Best Small Towns to Celebrate Fall

The Best Small Towns to Celebrate Fall

Photo of the day

Unicornfest. Slimycorn against graffiti background. Artist: Guts Slimycorn is a slimy dayglo unicorn friend! He loves bright colours, loud music and messy creativity! He wants everyone to get messy, be silly (and a bit gross) and have fun expressing themselves. (He also comes to life at night and eats all the ice cream he can find) Contrasts

History

A Victorian era depiction of the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which took place on September 11, 1297

A Bloody Battle Depicted in 'Braveheart' Dealt a Devastating Blow to the English on This Day in 1297

At the Battle of Stirling Bridge, William Wallace defeated the superior armies of Edward I, cementing his status as one of Scotland's most iconic heroes

A 17th-century painting of the September 10, 1622, Great Genna Martyrdom, in which 55 Christians were beheaded or burned alive

Why a Japanese Shogun Brutally Executed 55 Catholics on This Day in 1622, Driving the Country's Christians Underground

Robert Imbrie's body arrived in Washington, D.C. on September 29, 1924.

A Century Ago, a Mob Brutally Attacked an American Diplomat in Persia. His Death Shaped U.S.-Iran Relations for Decades

Science

A young blackpoll warbler with a NanoTag on Borgles Island, Nova Scotia

Tiny Trackers Are Revealing the Secret Lives of Tens of Thousands of Birds

The Motus Wildlife Tracking System has put nearly 50,000 incredibly lightweight radio transmitters on birds, bats and insects. We caught up with an ornithologist to learn more about where these creatures are flying

Intense flooding continued on August 7, after the sudden draining of a glacial lake near the Mendenhall River in Juneau, Alaska.

When a Glacial Dam Burst, an Alaskan Town Was Hit With a Sudden Flood

The vagus nerve sprawls from the brain through the body, innervating our organs and managing life support and emotion.

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Longest Nerve in the Body

Innovation

Germany’s North and Baltic Seas are littered with munitions from the First and Second World Wars, such as shells—as shown here—once fired from German battleships.

A Massive Effort Is Underway to Rid the Baltic Sea of Sunken Bombs

The ocean became a dumping ground for weapons after Allied forces defeated the Nazis. Now a team of robots and divers is making the waters safer

Kids cool down at an animal-themed splash pad at Zoo Miami. Mist stations also help visitors avoid overheating on sweltering days.

In Miami, the Nation’s First Chief Heat Officer Charts a Course for Surviving on a Warming Planet

Robotic kitchens aren’t on homemakers’ must-have lists yet, but they are starting to gain traction in restaurants.

Robots Are Coming to the Kitchen. What Does This Mean for Everyday Life?

Arts & Culture

A self-portrait taken in New York by Vivian Maier in 1954

Meet Vivian Maier, the Reclusive Nanny Who Secretly Became One of the Best Street Photographers of the 20th Century

The self-taught artist is getting her first museum exhibition in New York City, where she nurtured her nascent interest in photography

The Museum of Perfume, presented by Paris’ Fragonard Perfumery, is dedicated to exploring the methodology and history behind perfume making.

Museums in Paris That Surprise and Delight, From Medical History to Magic to Marie Curie

The weapons are adorned with gold and silver designs and an engraved image of Napoleon.

Napoleon's Elaborately Decorated Pistols Sell for $1.8 Million at Auction

Travel

Tintagel Castle, a dramatic 13th century fortress on the rocky coast of Cornwall, England, has been associated with King Arthur.

Nine Mythical Places Archaeologists Think May Have Actually Existed

Historical evidence is helping to pinpoint the exact locations of fabled sites, from King Arthur’s castle to Solomon’s Temple

Boats, lights and fog help create a serene nighttime scene in Rio de Janeiro.

Bask in the Beauty of Brazil With These 15 Stunning Photographs

These colorful rings could become a permanent fixture of the Eiffel Tower.

Paris Mayor Wants to Keep the Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Tower

At the Smithsonian

Gambel oak branchlet

This Massive New Guidebook Will Forever Change the Way You Look at Trees

Written by Smithsonian botanist W. John Kress, the book details more than 300 North American tree species in words, maps and photographs—and why we shouldn't take them for granted

Did Hawaiian dancers traditionally wear grass skirts? 

What's the History of Hawaiian Grass Skirts? And More Questions From Our Readers

Station VI: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, Bruce Onobrakpeya, linoleum block print on rice paper, 1969

After Nigerian Independence, One Renowned Artist Made Jesus a West African Savior in His Vibrant Work