Articles

The FCC ruled against U.S. consumer protections online.

How Other Countries Deal With Net Neutrality

As the U.S. weakens its protections for internet users, it risks falling behind the rest of the world

A macro photo of coralites off Malapascua Island in the Philippines.

The Top Ten Ocean Stories of 2017

From wind turbines to massive sunfish to octopus cities, the seas proved full of surprises this year

Here's Exactly How Shrunken Heads Are Made

A scientist's visit to a Shuar elder in Ecuador reveals the secrets of the ceremonial tradition of head shrinking

A Plea to Resurrect the Christmas Tradition of Telling Ghost Stories

Though the practice is now more associated with Halloween, spooking out your family is well within the Christmas spirit

Kepler has been gazing out at the twinkle of stars since 2009, analyzing the light of hundreds of thousands of stars.

New Research

How AI Found the First Eight-Planet Solar System Beyond Our Own

Google’s neural network sifted through piles of NASA data to find a planet hiding in the spacestacks

Grizzly bears are a common sight in the park.

Photos Offer a Glimpse Into the Wild Corners of America's Northernmost National Park

In his upcoming book, author Joe Wilkins gives an insider's perspective of Gates of the Arctic

Bradford saw the dollhouse, shown decorated for Christmas, as ever evolving: "I shall never be completely satisfied with its creation."

Christmas at the Smithsonian's Dolls' House Includes All the Trimmings—in Miniature

It's 'Deck the Halls' with Christmas cheer at the beloved Victorian-style dollhouse at the National Museum of American History

BB-8 is an “astromech droid” who first appeared in The Force Awakens.

What the Robots of Star Wars Tell Us About the Future of Human Work

The films' much-loved robots exist mostly to assist rather than replace humans—and like us, they are prone to errors

Pleito cave site

Virtual Reality Is Allowing Us To See Some of the World’s Most Inaccessible Archaeological Sites

A Native American tribe in California got a chance to reconnect with its past through virtual reality models of sacred sites

A Polar Bear's Diet Consists of Anything Edible

In lieu of seal meat, polar bears will resort to eating anything that looks edible, including mineral-rich kelp. Here, one chows down on a fresh batch

The 200 or so volunteer “elves” at the Santa Claus museum in Indiana respond to about 20,000 letters each year.

Ask Smithsonian

What Happens to All Those Letters Sent to Santa?

Believe it or not, most get answered

Acinetobacter baumannii

The Next Pandemic

Instead of Killing Bacteria, Can We Just "Turn Off" Its Ability To Cause Infections?

Researchers could have an answer to antibiotic resistance, and it involves using epigenetics to reprogram bacteria

Elderly Polar Bear Spars With Young Males

Polar bears will spar relentlessly with each other whenever they meet in summer. It's friendly and sociable, but also a good way to establish hierarchy

"Panama's Animal Highway" premiers on the Smithsonian Channel, December 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

New Documentary Delights With Spectacular Visuals of the Panama Isthmus, A Migratory Superhighway

Scientists from all over the world come to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Center to study this unique region

To find the roots of an unlikely connection, researchers are untangling lemur microbiomes. Here, ring-tailed lemurs feast at Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Germany.

New Research

What Lemur Guts Can Tell Us About Human Bowel Disease

Similarities between us and the cuddly primates could help us understand the origins of human illnesses—and treat them

In a recent presentation held at the National Museum of Natural History, University of Melbourne researcher Gerald Roche called attention to 21 minority languages spoken in villages across Tibet.

The Incredible Linguistic Diversity of Tibet Is Disappearing

Thanks to national schooling and the Internet, many of the plateau’s unique languages are in danger

A participant in the trial created this avatar.

Can "Avatar Therapy" Help People Confront Hallucinations?

In a recent study, schizophrenics engaged the distressing voices they hear through digital audio-visual representations

Footage of the First Martin-Baker Ejection Seat Test

Bernard Lynch was an engineer fitter at British aviation firm Martin-Baker. But his main claim to fame was as the fearless test subject

Apollo 17's Saturn V launch vehicle sits atop pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Apollo 17 Was the Swan Song of Manned Space Exploration

Looking back 45 years later, is there hope humanity will once again push beyond Earth? President Donald Trump seems to think so

The AOL Instant Messenger icon became so well known it was made into a plush toy.

AOL Instant Messenger Taught Us How To Communicate in the Modern World

As AIM sunsets, let's reflect on its role in preparing people for today's digital messaging methods

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