Articles

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

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

The World’s Steepest Zip Line Offers Breathtaking Views Over St. Martin

How can you maximize reading’s rewards for baby?

New Research

Brain Studies Suggest What Books to Read to Your Baby—and When

Psychologists looked at infant brains to find that both timing and content can impact mental development

Detail of north elevation of Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall), from 1752 map of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Two Centuries Ago, Pennsylvania Almost Razed Independence Hall to Make Way for Private Development

Fortunately saner minds prevailed when the state thought about tearing down Philadelphia's historic structure

What a Vice President of the Humane Society Has To Say About Lab-Grown Meat

In a new book, Paul Shapiro describes clean meat as a promising alternative to industrial-scale farming

Enrico Fermi, Italian-American physicist, received the 1938 Nobel Prize in physics for identifying new elements and discovering nuclear reactions by his method of nuclear irradiation and bombardment.

Was Enrico Fermi Really the “Father of the Nuclear Age”?

A new book takes a fresh look at the famed scientist

Statue of Memnon in the westbank in Luxor, with the community of Qurna in the background.

The Greatest Clash in Egyptian Archaeology May Be Fading, But Anger Lives On

After 200 years, the sad story of Qurna, a so-called 'village of looters', is coming to a close

An illustrated Greek medical text was found beneath the oldest Arabic translation of the Gospels.

Archaeologists Are Only Just Beginning to Reveal the Secrets Hidden in These Ancient Manuscripts

A project to scan documents found in the walls of a remote monastery is reshaping our view of the connections between East and West

Scientists Go on a Mission to Save Sea Turtles

Over the past half century, Leatherback turtle numbers have suffered a disastrous decline of almost 70%

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