Articles

This train car, used for much of the early 20th-century as a segregated passenger car through the southern United States, will be installed Sunday on the National Mall—the first artifact for the future National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Installing an Artifact in a Museum That Hasn’t Even Been Built Yet

This weekend, two objects are being installed in the National Museum of African American History and Culture—more than a year before it's set to open

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Watch Beethoven’s Ninth Played on a Glockenspiel Made out of Tools

You've probably heard Beethoven's Ninth Symphony before. But chances are you haven't heard it played on a glockenspiel made out of tools

Where Do Dogs Come From—Europe Or China?

Where were dogs first domesticated?

China Is Slowly Undoing Its One-Child Policy

The addition of an extra exemption will let more Chinese families have more than one child

Genetic testing of people with Caribbean ancestry reveals evidence of indigenous population collapse and specific waves of slave trade.

A History of Slavery and Genocide Is Hidden in Modern DNA

Genetic testing of people with Caribbean ancestry reveals evidence of indigenous population collapse and specific waves of slave trade

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2013 Smithsonian American Ingenuity Awards

We recognize nine of the past year's shining achievements and the innovators behind them

Scientists Have Figured Out the Best Way to Goof Around at Work

You're going to procrastinate anyway, but here's how to make it work for you

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There Are 58 Versions of Little Red Riding Hood, Some 1,000 Years Older Than the Brothers Grimm’s

Brothers Grimm may have popularized the tale but they certainly didn't win any prizes for originality

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Powering the 21st Century

How Microgrids are Bolstering the Nation’s Power Infrastructure

Rather than drain power from a nearby plant, these systems create energy of their own, making for a more sustainable future

The Foodini

Hungry? A Startup Wants You to 3D Print Your Next Meal

The Foodini may allow people to painlessly prepare healthier meals instead of reaching for that factory-processed stuff sitting in the freezer

The distribution of drug deaths in American counties from 2008 to 2009

Deaths From Drug Overdoses Are Soaring

Across America, the rate of drug overdose deaths has risen by 300%

Large swaths of Brazil’s Amazon have been wiped out, but deforestation there is starting to slow.

Hotspots of Deforestation Revealed in New Maps

New maps of global forest loss find that while Brazil is decreasing its rate of deforestation, many other nations are rapidly losing forest cover

The Bird in the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock Weighs 330 Pounds

The clock is based on a much smaller cuckoo clock that is about 100 years old - scaled up sixty times

Rene Redzepi, chef/owner of Noma in Copenhagen, is one of the world’s most influential chefs.

Noma Chef Rene Redzepi on Creativity, Diversity in the Kitchen, and that Time Magazine Story

Before he talks at the Smithsonian about his new book, the famed chef identifies who he sees as the goddesses of food

For just $875,000, you, too, could live in scenic Malta. Or anywhere else in the European Union.

Want European Union Citizenship? You Can Buy It

Got a million dollars sitting around? Move to Europe, and bring your friends

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10 Things We’ve Learned About Fat

Experts have long known that trans fat isn't good for us, but research has turned up surprises—chocolate and chili peppers can help us lose fat

Underwater kite design by Minesto

Powering the 21st Century

Underwater Kites Can Harness Ocean Currents to Create Clean Energy

If researchers were to figure out how to harness the power of the currents, there is ample energy to be had

This Is the Most Expensive Piece of Art Ever Auctioned

All told, that auction raked in $691.5 million, the highest anyone has ever made at an auction in history

Art Meets Science

Do Our Brains Find Certain Shapes More Attractive Than Others?

A new exhibition in Washington, D.C., claims that humans have an affinity for curves—and there is scientific data to prove it

People in Mexico Were Using Chili Peppers to Make Spicy Drinks 2400 Years Ago

New analysis of the insides of ancient drinkware shows chemical traces of Capsicum species, proof positive that its owners made spicy beverages

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