Natasha Geiling

Natasha Geiling

 

Natasha Geiling is an online reporter for Smithsonian magazine.

The giant Santa statue near the Santa Claus House in the town of North Pole, Alaska

Why Is Santa From the North Pole? Here’s How the Legend Originated and Why Different Towns Lay Claim to It

Santa Claus is usually good news for tourism—and locales all over the world embrace their proximity to the Christmas figure

Survivors of the Indianapolis disaster en route to a hospital following their rescue in August 1945

The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis Triggered the Worst Shark Attack in History

In the final weeks of World War II, a Japanese torpedo sank an American heavy cruiser. Only 316 of the 900 sailors who survived the initial attack were ultimately rescued

A Southern Barbecue, a wood engraving from a sketch by Horace Bradley, published in Harper’s Weekly, July 1887.

The Evolution of American Barbecue

How America's meaty tradition grew from Caribbean roots to the four distinct styles we know today

Mexican free-tailed bats near Bracken Cave, Texas.

The Best Places Around the World to See Bats (by the Millions)

Bat tourism might sound creepy, but it may be the best way to help bat conservation around the world

The Watermelon Drop in Vincennes, Indiana

From Opossums to Bologna: Weird Things Cities Drop on New Year's Eve

Who needs a ball? Cities get creative on New Year's Eve by dropping objects that reflect local products and culture

From New York to South Carolina, take a trip through the haunts of one of America's favorite authors.

Take a Trip Through Edgar Allan Poe's America

From his birth in Boston to his death in Baltimore, check out places that were important to America's favorite macabre author

Souvenir Dolls, New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Best Places to Celebrate Mardi Gras Outside of New Orleans

The Big Easy might get all the fame, but places from Alabama to the south of France also know how to party before Lent

Hamm’s Draft Beer Can

Raise a Glass to the Smithsonian's First Beer Scholar

Theresa McCulla is ready to start the “best job ever” chronicling the history of American brewing

Don't be like this guy. Read our roundup of tips on the best ways to prevent and reduce stress during your airplane trip.

The Science of How to Fly Stress-Free Over the Holidays

From getting to the airport to avoiding lost luggage, a little research can help you have a stress-free plane trip

Are these kinds of experiences worth the carbon footprint?

Visiting Melting Glaciers Can Be Profound. But Is It Morally Wrong?

How to weigh the moral costs of your climate change tour

The Mauna Loa observatory.

The Enduring Climate Legacy of Mauna Loa

Sixty years after a trailblazing climate scientist scaled its heights, the Hawaii-based observatory remains essential

Some architects are in a timber state of mind.

Will Skyscrapers of the Future Be Built From Wood?

Why cross-laminated timber might become the newest trend in urban architecture

The Svalbard seed bank is one of many seed libraries in the world, and one of the best funded.

From Lack Of Diversity To Lack Of Funding, Seed Banks Face a World Of Challenges

Gene banks are meant to protect biodiversity, yet they themselves are in need of protection

Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the park. But what gives it its vivid rainbow colors?

The Science Behind Yellowstone's Rainbow Hot Spring

The Grand Prismatic Spring might seem photoshopped, but there's very real science beneath its vibrant colors

This spring, think about looking for cherry blossoms in unexpected places.

Where to See the Best Cherry Blossoms Around the World

The blossoms in Japan and Washington, D.C are breathtaking, but you can see beautiful flowers in places like Stockholm, too

The Stockholm Guild, which runs the market, was founded in 1914 to bring the tradition of a Christmas market back to Stockholm (there was a Christmas market here as early as 1523).

Christmas Markets Might Be the Best Reason to Spend the Holidays in Europe

From mulled wine to intricate ornaments, Europe's Christmas markets are a mix of food, goods and holiday cheer

The Bay Area sees stark geographical divides between the rich and the poor

These Maps Help Explain the Numerous, Complicated Factors Behind Income Inequality

Education, housing costs and even internet access are all a part of the difficult public policy matter

A display of Jim Beam bourbons at a Kentucky distillery.

What Makes Bourbon Uniquely American?

A new book examines everything that makes the spirit special to the United States

Bartender making mint julep cocktail.

Are We Re-Entering a Golden Age of American Bartending?

At the turn of the century, America was a hotbed of cocktail innovation—then Prohibition happened. Now, bartenders are trying to reclaim the golden age.

The Well of Death came from the American motordome racing popular in the early 1900s.

India's Dying Well of Death

Brave stuntmen have long been riding the near-vertical walls of India's Well of Death—but the popular spectacle is on the decline

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