Science

Still Life with Fruit, Oysters, and Wine by Everhart Kuhn, ca. 1865

Ask Smithsonian

Are Oysters an Aphrodisiac?

Sure, if you think so

After the defeat of Cleopatra's forces by Octavian (later Augustus, emperor of Rome), the Egyptian queen and her lover Marc Antony fled to Egypt. In Shakespeare's imagining, one of Cleopatra's greatest fears was the the horrid breath of the Romans. Shown here: "The Death of Cleopatra" by Reginald Arthur, 1892.

The History and Science Behind Your Terrible Breath

Persistent mouth-stink has been dousing the flames of passion for millennia. Why haven’t we come up with a cure?

The Extraordinary Life Cycle of a Hornet Colony

After a hornet queen lays hundreds of eggs, her workers set about feeding the larvae chewed-up prey. With tiny waists, the workers can't digest solid food

On October 8, 2013, panda cub Bao Bao is examined by Zoo staff Juan Rodriguez and Brandie Smith.

Pandamonium

It’s Easy to Fall in Love With a Panda. But Do They Love Us Back?

Keepers admire them, but have no illusions. Pandas are solitary creatures

Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki)

Here's Why You Should Never Kiss a Toad

A scientist at Smithsonian's Tropical Research Institute helped catalog everything known about toxins in the skins of endangered frogs and toads

An infrared image of 47 Tucanae, a dense globular cluster of stars located roughly 16,000 light years from Earth. A new study has predicted that a black hole lies at its center.

Think Big

How Astrophysicists Found a Black Hole Where No One Else Could

A new method could help scientists peer inside universe's densest star clusters to find undiscovered black holes

When it comes to reversible ways to prevent pregnancy, men have limited options—for now.

New Research

Contraceptive Gel Called the “IUD For Men” Makes It Through Monkey Trials

Vasalgel aims to make contraception for men as easy and effective as IUDs have for women

The packaged foods you get at the grocery store are all regulated by the FDA. So are drugs, medical devices, cigarettes and condoms.

Where Did the FDA Come From, And What Does It Do?

From unglamorous origins, the federal agency has risen to ensure the safety of everything from lasers to condoms

The Hagfish Is the Slimy Sea Creature of Your Nightmares

The hagfish is a slime-emitting ocean-dweller that's remained unchanged for 300 million years--and it shows. It has a skull (but no spine)

There are many hurdles to building the proposed border wall. And skimping on any steps means that "big, beautiful" wall won't stand for long.

What Geology Has to Say About Building a 1,000-Mile Border Wall

Compared to erecting a marble palace or high-steepled church, a wall may seem relatively straightforward—it isn’t

As 19th century urban living became more cramped, some women began to reinvent the domestic sphere with technology.

Women Who Shaped History

These Four Black Women Inventors Reimagined the Technology of the Home

By designating the realm of technology as 'male,' we overlook key inventions that took place in the domestic sphere

Deciding when to get divorced is a difficult calculation—even for birds.

Age of Humans

Birds Struggle to Keep Their Marriages in Rapidly Changing Urban Environments

Deciding whether to get divorced is a complex calculation, even for birds

Peregrine falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica

Super Bowl

Ten Fun Facts About Falcons, the Birds

As the Atlanta Falcons prepare to play in the Super Bowl, learn about the remarkable raptors behind the name

A view into Flint drinking water pipes, showing various types of iron corrosion and rust.

New Research

Scientists Now Know Exactly How Lead Got Into Flint's Water

New report points blames corrosion and warns that fixing lead poisoning nationwide will require more work than we hoped

How Vampire Bats Suck Blood for 30 Minutes Unnoticed

Thanks to a local anesthetic in their spit, vampire bats are able to drink blood from their prey without being detected

A new study on grey reef sharks turned up a few surprises.

New Research

Ocean Preserves Keep Fishing Boats Away from Grey Reef Sharks

Scientists tracked hundreds of reef sharks to find that massive marine refuges can work—with one caveat

Meet the Echidna, an Incredible, Fire-Proof Spiny Anteater

The echidna, or spiny anteater, is a marvel of defensive self-preservation, from its impenetrable spikes to its ability to breathe through bushfires

The Zoo's female bobcat was found on the property of the Zoo.

Ollie the Bobcat Is Back at the Zoo and Off the Streets of Washington, D.C.

National Zoo bobcat ends her city sojourn

Gotcha! A frog's tongue can be five times faster than the blink of a human eye.

New Research

Inside Every Frog's Mouth Is a Sticky, Grabby Bullet

Investigating frog tongues—and some human ones!—in the name of science

Chinese researchers have harnessed the power of deep learning to help doctors identify this rare disease.

New Research

Can Eagle-Eyed Artificial Intelligence Help Prevent Children From Going Blind?

Deep learning pinpoints cataracts more accurately than humans, and could help prevent this form of vision loss in children

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