Meilan Solly

Meilan Solly

 

Meilan Solly is Smithsonian magazine's senior associate digital editor, history.

The team’s findings compared the estimated visual acuity, or sharpness, of about 600 species.

How Does Your Vision Compare to Other Critters in the Animal Kingdom?

A new review of visual acuity compares the sight of 600 species, from mosquitoes to eagles

Jacob Epstein, Torso in Metal from "The Rock Drill," 1913-14

Tate Britain Confronts the Aftershocks of World War I

The museum's newest exhibition explores how British, German and French artists struggle to comprehend bloody conflict

Those who hold out for the second marshmallow may come from more affluent households, and their future success is based on this economic advantage rather than sheer willpower

Why Delayed Gratification in the Marshmallow Test Doesn’t Equal Success

Socioeconomic status, family background amongst factors accounting for children's varying levels of self-control

Theories on the painting's fate include destruction by fire, earthquake, and gnawing rats in an abandoned barn

New Clues Emerge in Search for Stolen Caravaggio

The nativity scene taken from Sicilian chapel in 1969 may have ended up in Switzerland

In this April 10, 2015 photo, Brayan Lopez, 9, plays a Taino wood drum while students perform a ceremonial dance in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico.

Ancient DNA Contradicts Historical Narrative of 'Extinct' Caribbean Taíno Population

Researchers create Caribbean's first complete ancient human genome, find Taíno genes in living people

The team's work with flavobacterium could lead to the creation of biodegradable, non-toxic paints in all the colors of nature

This Vibrant Bacteria Could Be Used to "Grow" Paint

Researchers genetically manipulated bacteria to produce the iridescent colors seen in peacock feathers, butterfly wings

Researchers used non-invasive analysis to trace the origins of Picasso's bronze sculptures

Metal Blends Offer Clues to Picasso Sculptures' History

Analysis of bronze and sheet metal sculptures reveals how, when and where works were cast

"Scenes From the Collection" emphasizes modern and contemporary art in its exploration of Jewish identity

The Evolution of Jewish Identity Takes Center Stage at Revamped Jewish Museum Exhibition

The redesigned permanent exhibition highlights a rotating selection of artifacts spanning 4,000 years of history

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First Video of Baby Dumbo Octopus Shows They're Fully Formed From Birth

The deep sea creatures, which are named after Disney's floppy-eared elephant, use their giant fins for navigation

In 2018, researchers at the Art Gallery of Ontario released X-ray scans of this hidden painting beneath Picasso's The Crouching Beggar. The artist used the mountains in the painted-over landscape to shape the curves of his subject's back.

Researchers Uncover Hidden Details Beneath Picasso Painting

Using new imaging techniques, researchers reveal the secrets of the 1902 work "La Miséreuse Accroupie" ("The Crouching Beggar")

The exhibition features a pair of 18th-century stork scissors, heavy tailors’ shears and calligraphy scissors

Exhibition Cuts Into the Fascinating History of Scissors

Fashion and Textile Museum traces scissors’ role in life and death, fairy tales, crime and punk

Borneo’s Orangutan Population Plummeted by Half in 16 Years

Current population could fall by more than 45,000 over next 35 years

In August, protesters defaced Central Park's statue of J. Marion Sims, a 19th-century doctor who performed surgery on enslaved women without their consent

Controversial Statues in New York City Will Remain in Place With Added Historical Context

The J. Marion Sims statue is the only one the Mayor de Blasio task force recommended to be moved. It will go to the Brooklyn cemetery where he is buried

“For 20 years, everyone referred to The Dinner Party as ... ‘vaginas on plates,’” Chicago says. “Nobody called it the history of women in western civilization, which of course, is what it is.”

These Fall Exhibitions Explore the Origins of Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party"

Brooklyn Museum and National Museum of Women in the Arts revisit the artist's celebration of unrecognized women, female body

Researchers estimate that the cub was between one-and-a-half to two months old when it perished up to 50,000 years ago

Russian Local Discovers Frozen Remains of Extinct Cave Lion Cub

The lion died up to 50,000 years ago, but was found perfectly preserved in the frosty ground

The live cinema event traverses time periods, New York City boroughs, to present portrait of urban life

Archivist Captures New York’s Bygone Past Through Home Movies, Historical Footage

Rick Prelinger seeks to capture ephemeral portraits of city life

Over time, the presence of lab-grown, infected mosquitoes may lead to a dwindling Asian Tiger mosquito population

EPA Approves Use of Lab-Grown Mosquitoes in the Battle Against Disease

The bacterium-infected mosquitoes will be released in 20 states and D.C. to curb growing mosquito populations

The Kremer Museum features more than 70 works by Dutch and Flemish Old Masters

Pop-Up VR Museum to Bring Dutch and Flemish Masterpieces to the Masses

The Kremer Museum was imagined up after its creators grew disillusioned with constraints associated with showcasing a collection in a physical building

A 2015 image from the Hubble space telescope, highlighting some of the oldest galaxies in the universe.

Astronomers Spot One of the Oldest Galaxies in the Universe

The dusty, star-forming galaxy is 12.8 billion years old

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Date: c. 1870 Albumen silver print

Central Park Has No Monuments Dedicated to Real Women. That's About to Change

The future site was dedicated during the state's centennial of women's suffrage; the State of New York also will build two statues of suffrage leaders

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