Articles

For the first time, scientists have created near-perfect cubic zirconia replicas of the diamond in its previous forms. From left to right: the original brought from India, King Louis XIV’s “French Blue” and the Hope Diamond.

Now There Are Near-Perfect Copies of the Hope Diamond

Scientists created cubic zirconia replicas of the historic gem's previous forms—the original brought from India and the famous "French Blue"

The Ten Best Science Books of 2017

These books not only inspired awe and wonder—they helped us better understand the machinations of our world

Ask Smithsonian

Do Other Animals Cry and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

A battery-powered facial mask did not zap wrinkles.

The Museum of Failure Showcases the Beauty of the Epic Fail

A new exhibition of inventions that bombed boldly celebrates the world’s most creative screw-ups

“This winter travel is a new and bold venture,” Scott wrote as his men trudged off to Cape Crozier.

The Daring Journey Across Antarctica That Became a Nightmare

Everyone knows about Robert Scott’s doomed race to the South Pole in 1911. But on that same expedition three of his men made a death-defying trip

In Fallujah, ISIS blew up this bridge during its 2016 retreat.

History of Now

What Does the Future of the Euphrates Spell for the Middle East?

In the wake of the war against Isis in Iraq, an ominous journey along the once-mighty river finds a new crisis lurking in the shallows

What is that sound?

This App Can Diagnose Your Car Trouble

MIT engineers have developed an app that uses smartphone sensors to determine why your car's making that funny noise

A Routine Landing Turns Into Every Pilot's Nightmare

On April 5, 1991, Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311 was making a routine landing. Suddenly, the plane tilts dangerously to the left

Ivan Chermayeff (June 6, 1932-December 2, 2017)

Commentary

Designer of the Smithsonian Sunburst Logo Dies

Ivan Chermayeff was a brilliant designer, a gifted artist and the purveyor of a unique visual language, says Smithsonian curator Ellen Lupton

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is home to a photograph of Travolta by Douglas Kirkland, (above, detail), striking his characteristic dance pose.

John Travolta’s Breakout Hit Was America’s Best Dance Party

It’s been 40 years since ‘Saturday Night Fever’—a gritty film powered by music, machismo and masterful footwork—became a cultural phenomenon

One proposed feature is a system where trash would be separated and removed through underground tunnels.

Five Questions You Should Have About Google's Plan to Reinvent Cities

A waterfront neighborhood in Toronto will be a test bed for technological innovations. It also raises concerns about privacy.

While highly social and cooperative among themselves, dwarf mongooses take a while to warm up to newcomers.

New Research

For Immigrant Mongooses, It Can Take Time to Earn Society’s Trust

In some species, however, deporting your own family members is the norm

A pod of dolphins swim along a boat in the Channel Islands National Park, California

What Archaeologists and Historians Are Finding About the Heroine of a Beloved Young Adult Novel

New scholarship reveals details about the Native American at the center of the classic <em>Island of the Blue Dolphins</em>

Capturing a Photo of a Swimming Polar Bear is Risky Work

A wildlife photographer spots a swimming polar bear, completing the last lap of its summer migration. It's the perfect photo op

David Skorton, Kirk Johnson, Doris Matsui and David Rubinstein discuss the Smithsonian's future at the Arts and Industries Building in Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian Unveils a Bold New Action Plan, Grounded in Unity and Outreach

A fresh philosophy aims to touch the lives of a billion people every year

Aaron Elster's hologram answers questions from the audience.

An Exhibit in Illinois Allows Visitors to Talk with Holograms of 13 Holocaust Survivors

The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois, opened the new Survivor Stories Experience this fall

The Ten Best Travel Books of 2017

These reads will remedy even the direst cases of wanderlust

For the first time, human beings harnessed the power of atomic fission.

The Science Behind the First Nuclear Chain Reaction, Which Ushered in the Atomic Age 75 Years Ago

That fateful discovery helped give us nuclear power reactors and the atomic bomb

Thomas Wilfred Sitting at the Clavilux “Model E,” about 1924

This Artist Painted With Light. An Admiring Astronomer Helped Make Him a Star

The works and machinations of Thomas Wilfred, a lone performer, inventor and visionary, are now on view

One of the Worst Man-Made Disasters in History

Residents of the valley of Vajont in Italy had reservations about a new hydroelectric dam--especially when cracks began to appear in the nearby mountain

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