Blogs

Canyon walls tower above river rafters in the cathedralesque Grand Canyon. Traveling by raft may be the most enjoyable and easiest way to explore the Colorado River, one of the most threatened rivers.

Exploring the World’s Most Imperiled Rivers

Agriculture, pollution and hydroelectric development threaten many great rivers. See them while they still flow, via raft, kayak, canoe—or bicycle

View of Xu Bing’s Phoneix models in transit.

How Do You Build a 12-Ton Sculpture Installation? Very Slowly

Two years, two births, one Olympic Games and one global crisis–a lot can happen in one art project.

How many unborn brothers and sisters did this sand tiger shark devour to be here today?

Baby Sand Tiger Sharks Devour Their Siblings While Still in the Womb

This seemingly horrific reproduction strategy may be a way for females to better control which males sire her offspring

Before the blows began to rain: Walter Reuther (hand in pocket) and Richard Frankensteen (to Reuther’s left).

How the Ford Motor Company Won a Battle and Lost Ground

Corporate violence against union organizers might have gone unrecorded—if it not for an enterprising news photographer

The Solar Impulse flying over San Francisco at night.

Look Ma, No Fuel! Flying Cross Country on Sun Power

This week one of the strangest flying machines you've ever seen will start its journey across America--without a drop of fuel

These two identical brands are considered to be distinct based on their location

Decoding the Range: The Secret Language of Cattle Branding

Venture into the highly regulated and fascinating world of bovine pyroglyphics

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Strawberries Still Green? You’re on Trend!

Chefs around the country are experimenting with the springy, tart version of this favorite berry. Try pickling them yourself

Kota Ezawa recreates famous moments in history and pop culture with basic animation software. He is visiting the Hirshhorn on Thursday to talk about his art.

Events April 30-May 2: Origins of the Renaissance, Native Crafts and History Reanimated

This week, hear how a Roman emperor may have started the Renaissance, make your own Native art and meet digital animation artist Kota Ezawa

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Saving the Cao Vit Gibbon, the Second Rarest Ape in the World

Setting aside additional protected areas and creating forest corridors could help this Asian primate bounce back from just 110 individuals

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Nobody Walks in L.A.: The Rise of Cars and the Monorails That Never Were

As strange as it may seem today, the automobile was seen by many as the progressive solution to the transportation problems of Los Angeles

Leah Evans titled this work “Soil Survey”

At the Smithsonian Craftshow: Textile Topographies

Leah Evans, whose work is for sale at the annual Smithsonian Craftshow, creates wall hangings from abstracted geogrpahies

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The Strange Beauty of David Maisel’s Aerial Photographs

A new book shows how the photographer creates startling images of open-pit mines, evaporation ponds and other sites of environmental degradation

Who makes a good call center worker? Big Data knows.

How Big Data Will Mean the End to Job Interviews

Companies will rely more and more on analyzing mountains of data to determine who's the best fit for a job

Infrastructural graffiti in the streets of New Haven, CT (original photo)

Decoding The City: The Road Graffiti Placed by Utility Workers

These infrastructural lines mark the pathways of pipes and wires beneath the paved surface -- but what does each color mean?

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Cops Could Soon Use Breathalyzers to Test for Illegal Drugs

Swedish researchers are developing a system that tests for 12 different drugs on your breath, including cocaine, marijuana and amphetamines

Celebrate Arbor Day by planting a tree at the Anacostia Community Museum on Friday.

Events April 26-28: Arbor Day, Expert Collectors and Classical Music

This weekend, plant a tree, learn about the art of craft collecting and listen to one of Haydn's masterpieces

Emperor penguins swimming

14 Fun Facts About Penguins

Which penguin swims the fastest? Do penguins have teeth? Why do penguins sneeze? How is penguin poop useful?

Jennifer McCurdy mixes fine porcelain with gilding to create pieces full of movement and light.

24 Craft Creations That’ll Inspire You To Think Outside the Box

From fiber to glass, metal to ceramics, selections from this year's Craft Show will inspire you

An investing strategy based on the frequency of certain words Google searches, it turns out, might provide sizable profits.

Google Search Terms Can Predict the Stock Market

An investing strategy based on the frequency of certain words Google searches, it turns out, might yield sizable profits

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Why Women Like Deep Voices and Men Prefer High Ones

We find different pitches attractive because of the body size they signal—and a touch of breathiness is crucial to take the edge off deep voices in men

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