Articles

Low oxygen caused the death of these corals and others in Bocas del Toro, Panama. The dead crabs pictured also succumbed to the loss of dissolved oxygen.

Why Our Oceans Are Starting to Suffocate

A new paper links global warming to diminished oxygen concentrations at sea

Gift and her mother.

A Visit to the House of the Mountain Gorillas

A trek through Bwindi Impenetrable National Park brings you up close and personal with an endangered gorilla population

A scientific illustration of the Upward Sun River camp in what is now Interior Alaska.

New Research

Genetics Rewrites the History of Early America—And, Maybe, the Field of Archaeology

The genome of an infant from Upward Sun River, Alaska offers tantalizing insight into the story of human migration

An African lion enjoying an afternoon snack in the falling snow of 2012 at the National Zoo.

How Zoo Animals Stay Safe and Warm in the Arctic Blast

From flamingo 'hot tubs' to heated termite mounds, zoos have plenty of tricks to keep creatures safe when the forecast freezes over

Ask Smithsonian

Can All Living Things Exhibit Albinism?

You asked, we answered

In December 1957, Lymon appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” to sing “Goody Goody,” nearly two years after “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” was a hit debut single.

Teen Idol Frankie Lymon's Tragic Rise and Fall Tells the Truth About 1950s America

The mirage of the singer's soaring success echoes the mirage of post-war tranquility at home

A Timeline of 1968: The Year That Shattered America

The nation is still reckoning with the changes that came in that fateful year

Gladiator Teeth Reveal Signs of Infant Malnourishment

By all accounts, Roman gladiators were the rock stars of their day, performing in a packed coliseum to a crowd of thousands

This cartoon from Harper's Weekly depicts how opiates were used in the 19th century to help babies cope with teething.

Inside the Story of America’s 19th-Century Opiate Addiction

Doctors then, as now, overprescribed the painkiller to patients in need, and then, as now, government policy had a distinct bias

The Freer Buddha undergoes a CT scan at the National Museum of Natural History. "He wouldn't relax his legs," Donna Strahan recalls with a laugh.

How Science is Peeling Back the Layers of Ancient Lacquer Sculptures

These rare Buddhist artworks were found to contain traces of bone and blood

The focus on achievement and social justice is transformative, says Sumaiya Sabnam, at work on equations. “I call myself a student activist,” she says.

1968: The Year That Shattered America

Where RFK Was Killed, a Diverse Student Body Fulfills His Vision for America

At the site of Robert Kennedy's assassination, the kids at a Los Angeles public school keep his spirit alive

Ellen Raskin designed the first-edition book cover; she later wrote The Westing Game, which won its own Newbery.

Women Who Shaped History

The Remarkable Influence of 'A Wrinkle in Time'

How the Madeleine L'Engle novel liberated young adult literature

Hours after witnessing the first Earthrise, Jim Lovell told mission control: “The Earth from here is a grand oasis in the big vastness of space.”

1968: The Year That Shattered America

Who Took the Legendary Earthrise Photo From Apollo 8?

The mission returned to Earth with one of the most famous images in history

Engelbart designed the mouse to replace the light pen as a pointing device.

1968: The Year That Shattered America

How Douglas Engelbart Invented the Future

Two decades before the personal computer, a shy engineer unveiled the tools that would drive the tech revolution

The Top Ten Most Important Ancient Documents Lost to History

Either due to conquest or simply the ravages of time, these founding papers of civilizations around the world will remain mysteries forever

John Lennon chats with Mike Love (far right, in dark blue) as the Beatles sit for a photo with Maharishi and other course participants.

1968: The Year That Shattered America

The Ashram Where the Beatles Sought Enlightenment

Beach Boys singer Mike Love recalls what it was like to be at the Indian locale, which remains a destination for fans of music and meditation

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Future of Energy

Future of Energy

Bold new ideas to meet the world's burgeoning need for power

Future of Energy

Greek Yogurt Fuels Your Morning...And Your Plane?

Researchers have developed a method for turning yogurt whey into bio-oil, which could potentially be processed into biofuel for planes

Thomas Edison's ideas fed the story that would become In the Deep of Time.

Thomas Edison’s Forgotten Sci-Fi Novel

By feeding his visions for the future to a well-regarded contemporary, the prolific inventor offered a peek into his brilliant mind

Republic Square in Yerevan decorated for Christmas.

Armenia

It’s Still Christmas in Armenia

The holiday celebrations continue through January 13. Here's what to cook to keep the festivities going.

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