Science

A mushroom cloud rises in the sky during an atomic weapons test in the 1950s.

Age of Humans

The Atomic Age Ushered In the Anthropocene, Scientists Say

Geoscientists have concluded that the Age of Humans officially began at the start of the nuclear age.

A researcher examines the mummified hand of Ötzi the Iceman.

New Research

The Iceman's Stomach Bugs Offer Clues to Ancient Human Migration

DNA analysis of the mummy's pathogens may reveal when and how Ötzi's people came to the Italian Alps

Our Changing Seas III, 2014

Art Meets Science

Does This Sculpture Depict a Coral Reef Collapsing or Recovering?

Artist Courtney Mattison's spiral-shaped piece explores the uncertain future for coral reefs

A white stork forages for food at a landfill in Beja, Portugal.

Anthropocene

These Photographs Show the Bleak New Home for the White Stork: A Landfill

Dutch wildlife photographer Jasper Doest followed the path of the white stork's migration route, forever altered by human activity

Foot fluid may help bugs escape in a hurry.

Foot Fluids Work in Surprising Ways to Help Insects Stick to Walls

Long though to boost bug stickiness, the fluid may instead help insects mold to contours and make quick exits

These cracks hint at subsurface seas.

Does Icy Pluto Have a Hidden Ocean? New Horizons Offers New Clues

Data from the NASA probe are helping to build a solid case for a liquid ocean inside the tiny, distant world

Follow your nose, leopard shark.

New Research

Leopard Sharks Navigate With Their Noses

After being kidnapped and dropped off at sea, the sharks picked up on olfactory cues to find their way back home

Dr. Maxime Aubert, archeologist and geochemist, uses his headlamp to examine the cave art at Leang Lompoa in Maros, Indonesia.

A Journey to the Oldest Cave Paintings in the World

The discovery in a remote part of Indonesia has scholars rethinking the origins of art—and of humanity

The magnificent 26-foot-long Raven Spirit, or Yéil Yéik dugout canoe crafted by Douglas (above) and Brian Chilton was originally commissioned for the National Museum of Natural History in 2008.

How Canoes Are Saving Lives and Restoring Spirit

Native maritime communities are rediscovering their heritage by learning how to craft and paddle together aboard the ancient dugout vessels of their past

In 1938, Hans Asperger, a pediatrician at the University of Vienna, described numerous children he observed as “autistic.”

The Early History of Autism in America

A surprising new historical analysis suggests that a pioneering doctor was examining people with autism before the Civil War

Zodiac woodcut

How Are Horoscopes Still a Thing?

No, there’s no science behind an astrologer’s prediction for 2016, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be accurate

Seeking transparency in the scientific literature.

New Research

Biomedical Science Studies Are Shockingly Hard to Reproduce

Limited access to research details and a culture that emphasizes breakthroughs are undermining the credibility of science

Everybody Loves Lists

Our Top Ten Videos of 2015

From Hitler's home videos to the suffocating upbringing of an American princess, here are the most-watched videos on Smithsonian.com this year

This Color-Changing Mutant Has Three Hearts

The cuttlefish has the largest brain-to-body ratio of all invertebrates, which explains why its camouflage is so intricate and masterful

None

Ask Smithsonian: Why Do We Sneeze?

Whether you sneeze because of a cold, or after sex or a good meal or in sunlight, the good old Achoo is the body's way of ridding itself of irritants

Deep Earth creepy crawlies, mushrooms making rain, and a Maya city buried in ash are just a few highlights from this year's collection of science stories.

Cool Science Stories You May Have Missed in 2015

Quantum spookiness, a Maya city buried in ash and more in this year’s surprising science

The Verreaux's sifaka is one of the unique mammals found only on Madagascar.

Tiny Fossils Reveal the Rise of Mammals on Madagascar

Recent finds are helping paleontologists piece together what happened after dinosaurs vanished from the island

Everybody Loves Lists

Our Top Ten Stories of 2015

From treasures buried in glaciers to the racial history of a vanished city in Oregon, here are the most-read stories on Smithsonian.com this year

Dogs, like humans, use mimicry to enhance social bonds.

New Research

Dogs Mimic Each Other’s Expressions, Too

The behavioral findings hint that dogs, like humans, might be capable of their own form of empathy

Are We on the Cusp of a Global Volcanic Winter?

If a supervolcano like the one at Yellowstone were to erupt, the world would be engulfed in a global volcanic winter. Estimated cost: $3 trillion

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