Smart News | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smart-news/RSS feed for Smart NewsenMon, 19 Aug 2024 20:06:41 +0000As Banksy's Animal Art Series Ends, Caretakers Grapple With How to Preserve His Muralshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-banksys-animal-art-series-ends-caretakers-grapple-with-how-to-preserve-his-murals-180984932/The street artist unveiled nine new pieces in London this month, and many have already been taken down or defacedMon, 19 Aug 2024 20:06:41 +0000Rare Fossils Give Clues to How Tardigrades Survived Mass Extinctions by Hitting the Snooze Buttonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-fossils-give-clues-to-how-tardigrades-survived-mass-extinctions-by-hitting-the-snooze-button-180984930/Scientists have only four known tardigrade fossils, which preserve insights into how the hardy critters evolved their hibernation-like superpower of cryptobiosisMon, 19 Aug 2024 18:56:53 +000013,600-Year-Old Mastodon Skull Uncovered in Iowahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/13600-year-old-mastodon-skull-unearthed-in-iowa-180984931/The hulking creature may have overlapped with Indigenous peopleMon, 19 Aug 2024 18:03:37 +0000A Rare 'Super Blue Moon' Will Be Visible Monday Night: What Does That Mean?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-super-blue-moon-will-be-visible-monday-night-what-does-that-mean-180984928/Tonight’s full moon will be bigger and brighter than usual, and it’s the third of four full moons this summerMon, 19 Aug 2024 17:29:15 +0000Firefighters Extinguish Blaze at London's Somerset Househttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/firefighters-extinguish-blaze-at-londons-somerset-house-180984929/The palatial complex's historic artworks sustained no damage from the fire that broke out on August 17Mon, 19 Aug 2024 17:19:53 +0000Archaeologists Stumble Upon a 2,000-Year-Old Dolphin Mosaic in Englandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-stumble-upon-a-2000-year-old-dolphin-mosaic-in-england-180984923/The Roman-era artwork was likely preserved thanks to a remodeling project in the third or fourth century C.E.Mon, 19 Aug 2024 15:23:50 +0000Amateur Sleuth Identifies the Mystery Women in a Museum's Fabergé Frameshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/amateur-sleuth-identifies-the-mystery-women-in-a-museums-faberge-frames-180984890/The portraits were on display at a museum in England, where staffers had been wondering about the two subjects for yearsFri, 16 Aug 2024 19:46:31 +0000Weight Loss and Diabetes Drug Could Slow Alzheimer's Progression, Preliminary Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/weight-loss-and-diabetes-drug-could-slow-alzheimers-progression-preliminary-study-suggests-180984808/In a year-long trial, people who received a daily injection of liraglutide showed an 18 percent lower cognitive decline than people who received a placeboFri, 16 Aug 2024 19:40:32 +0000Asteroid That Ended the Dinosaurs Came From Beyond Jupiter, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/asteroid-that-ended-the-dinosaurs-came-from-beyond-jupiter-study-finds-180984924/Metal isotopes delivered to Earth by the asteroid reveal it's consistent with space rocks formed in the outer solar systemFri, 16 Aug 2024 18:30:24 +0000Ancient Prisoners Carved Graffiti Into the Floors of a Roman-Era Prisonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-prisoners-carved-graffiti-into-the-floors-of-a-roman-era-prison-180984889/An archaeologist has identified vengeful inscriptions etched into a 1,600-year-old prison in GreeceFri, 16 Aug 2024 17:57:15 +0000Rare Ocelot Caught on Camera in Arizona, the First Sighting in Its Area for 50 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-ocelot-caught-on-camera-in-arizona-the-first-sighting-in-its-area-for-50-years-180984921/Ocelots were federally listed as endangered in 1972, and their current U.S. population is thought to be fewer than 100 individualsFri, 16 Aug 2024 16:15:35 +0000Art Dealer Arrested for Trying to Sell a Fake Leonardo da Vinci for $1.4 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/art-dealer-arrested-for-trying-to-sell-a-fake-leonardo-da-vinci-for-14-million-180984905/French customs officers seized the imitation when they discovered the man’s export license had expiredFri, 16 Aug 2024 15:25:22 +0000Invasive 'ManhattAnts' Are Taking Over New York City and Spreading Quicklyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/invasive-manhattants-are-taking-over-new-york-city-and-spreading-quickly-180984917/Since appearing on Manhattan in 2011, the species has become one of the island's most dominant ants, and scientists formally identified it this yearThu, 15 Aug 2024 20:35:24 +0000Stonehenge's Massive Central Stone May Have Been Shipped From Hundreds of Miles Awayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stonehenges-massive-central-stone-may-have-been-shipped-from-hundreds-of-miles-away-180984904/Researchers think they've solved the mystery of the monument's Altar Stone, which could have traveled all the way from ScotlandThu, 15 Aug 2024 19:36:17 +0000WHO Declares Mpox Global Health Emergency. Here's What to Knowhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-declares-mpox-global-health-emergency-heres-what-to-know-180984907/A new virus strain has been spreading primarily the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as nearby countries that had previously not reported mpox casesThu, 15 Aug 2024 18:41:20 +0000Archaeologists Unearth Two More Vesuvius Victims at Pompeiihttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-at-pompeii-unearth-two-more-vesuvius-victims-180984891/Recent excavations provide a glimpse into the choices a man and woman made in their final momentsThu, 15 Aug 2024 18:09:16 +0000Mars Hosts a Giant Reservoir of Water Underground, We Just Can't Easily Reach It, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-hosts-a-giant-reservoir-of-water-underground-we-just-cant-easily-reach-it-study-finds-180984888/The water is enough to cover the Martian surface in a mile-deep ocean, but it's beyond the reach of drills for now, according to researchersThu, 15 Aug 2024 16:18:13 +0000A Youth League's Stolen Jackie Robinson Statue Has Been Replacedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-youth-leagues-stolen-jackie-robinson-statue-has-been-replaced-180984884/The original statue of the pioneering baseball player vanished from a ballpark in Wichita, Kansas, earlier this yearThu, 15 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000The World's Largest Iceberg Is Stuck in a Spinning Ocean Vortexhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-largest-iceberg-gets-stuck-in-spinning-ocean-vortex-180984892/The mega iceberg A23a is destined to melt after breaking free from Antarctica in 1986, but this pause in its journey is delaying its fate, experts sayWed, 14 Aug 2024 20:31:27 +0000This Giant Keith Haring Mural Is a Beloved West Village Staple. Can It Be Saved?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-keith-haring-mural-is-a-beloved-west-village-staple-can-it-be-saved-180984886/The artwork, which adorns a wall by the pool at an old recreation center in New York City, faces an uncertain futureWed, 14 Aug 2024 20:10:42 +0000Rare Seven-Foot Mammoth Tusk Unearthed in Mississippi Creekhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-seven-foot-mammoth-tusk-unearthed-in-mississippi-creek-180984893/The enormous fossil belonged to a Columbian mammoth, a larger relative of the woolly mammothWed, 14 Aug 2024 19:12:56 +0000Will the Tower of London Lose Its UNESCO World Heritage Status?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/skyscrapers-threaten-the-tower-of-londons-unesco-world-heritage-status-180984885/The United Nations agency is worried about high-rise developments near the famed 11th-century fortressWed, 14 Aug 2024 18:47:13 +0000Workers Stumble Upon Ancient Greek Mosaic of Dancing Satyrshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-stumble-upon-ancient-greek-mosaic-of-dancing-satyrs-180984858/Found on the Greek island of Euboea, the pebbled design is part of a 2,400-year-old floorWed, 14 Aug 2024 17:18:00 +0000Common Artificial Sweetener Linked to Increased Heart Attack Risk in Small Studyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/common-artificial-sweetener-linked-to-increased-heart-attack-risk-in-small-study-180984868/Healthy people who consumed 30 grams of the sweetener erythritol had an increased risk of blood clot formation, while people who consumed the same amount of glucose did notWed, 14 Aug 2024 12:58:20 +0000Could These Carvings in Turkey Be the World's Oldest Lunisolar Calendar?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ancient-carvings-in-turkey-may-be-the-worlds-oldest-lunisolar-calendar-180984875/One researcher thinks the V-shaped markings engraved into a pillar thousands of years ago may represent the days of the yearTue, 13 Aug 2024 20:57:21 +0000MDMA Treatment for PTSD Fails to Secure Federal Approvalhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mdma-treatment-for-ptsd-fails-to-secure-federal-approval-180984887/One day after the FDA declined to approve the psychedelic for medical use, a journal retracted three studies of MDMA-assisted therapy due to unethical conduct by researchersTue, 13 Aug 2024 20:25:24 +0000Slow-Motion Ripples in Earth's Mantle Built Mysterious and Stunning Highland Landscapes, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/slow-motion-ripples-in-earths-mantle-built-mysterious-and-stunning-highland-landscapes-study-finds-180984860/Following the break-up of an ancient supercontinent, waves propagated through the hot, rocky layer beneath the planet's brittle crust and reshaped its surface over millions of yearsTue, 13 Aug 2024 18:10:03 +0000The Final Piece of the National World War I Memorial Is Almost Finishedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-final-piece-of-the-national-world-war-i-memorial-is-almost-finished-180984856/"A Soldier's Journey," the 58-foot-long bronze sculpture created by Sabin Howard, will be unveiled in Washington, D.C. on September 13Tue, 13 Aug 2024 17:21:55 +0000Breaking Just Made Its Olympic Debut. Will It Return in 2032?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/breaking-just-made-its-olympic-debut-will-it-return-in-2032-180984878/The event won't be featured at the Los Angeles Games in 2028, but that doesn't mean its Olympic journey is overTue, 13 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000Scientists Drill Deeper Into Earth's Mantle Than Ever Before, Probing for the Origin of Life on Earthhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-drill-deeper-into-earths-mantle-than-ever-before-probing-for-the-origin-of-life-on-earth-180984869/The record-setting rock samples will provide insight into the chemical processes that may have kick-started life on our planetMon, 12 Aug 2024 21:12:27 +0000Tourist Carves His Family's Initials Onto a Wall in Pompeiihttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tourist-carves-his-familys-initials-onto-a-wall-in-pompeii-180984877/In recent years, officials have seen a series of similar incidents at Italy's most popular historic sitesMon, 12 Aug 2024 19:17:53 +0000Iconic 'Double Arch' Rock Formation Collapses in Utahhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iconic-double-arch-rock-formation-collapses-in-utah-180984876/Changing water levels and erosion from waves may have contributed to the collapse in the popular Glen Canyon National Recreation AreaMon, 12 Aug 2024 18:34:11 +0000When Do Kids Go Back to School? It Depends on Where They Livehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-do-kids-go-back-to-school-it-depends-on-where-they-live-180984864/In some districts, students returned to their classrooms weeks before Labor DayMon, 12 Aug 2024 18:31:27 +0000NASA Retires Orbiting Telescope That Charted Asteroids for Over a Decadehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-retires-orbiting-telescope-that-charted-asteroids-for-over-a-decade-180984872/NEOWISE, which looked for potentially hazardous objects in the solar system, received its last command on Thursday and will burn up when it re-enters Earth's atmosphereMon, 12 Aug 2024 16:15:22 +0000One Year After a Devastating Fire, Lahaina's 151-Year-Old Banyan Tree Is Healinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-year-after-a-devastating-fire-lahainas-151-year-old-banyan-tree-is-healing-180984874/Arborists didn't know if the historic tree would survive, but they've been working to give it the best possible oddsMon, 12 Aug 2024 15:52:16 +0000New Banksy Murals Appeared in London Every Day This Week. What Do They Mean?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-banksy-murals-appeared-in-london-every-day-this-week-what-do-they-mean-180984870/The street artist has unveiled five animal-themed artworks, sparking debate about their intended messageFri, 09 Aug 2024 20:14:52 +0000'Dangerous' Pesticide That Could Harm Fetuses Is Pulled From the Market in Historic Move by EPAhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dangerous-pesticide-that-could-harm-fetuses-is-pulled-from-the-market-in-historic-move-by-epa-180984855/Often used to kill weeds around crops, DCPA poses a health risk to the unborn babies of pregnant farmworkers, according to the agencyFri, 09 Aug 2024 19:14:51 +0000Newly Deciphered, 4,000-Year-Old Cuneiform Tablets Used Lunar Eclipses to Predict Major Eventshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-deciphered-4000-year-old-cuneiform-tablets-used-lunar-eclipses-to-predict-major-events-180984871/Ancient Babylonians linked astronomical phenomena to pestilence, the death of kings and the destruction of empiresFri, 09 Aug 2024 19:12:33 +0000These Olympic Gold Medalists Get to Ring a Bell Bound for Notre-Damehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-olympic-gold-medalists-get-to-ring-a-bell-bound-for-notre-dame-180984867/The bell was built for the Games, but it will soon get a second life in one of Paris' most beloved landmarksFri, 09 Aug 2024 19:08:07 +0000Humans Could Warm Up Mars for Space Travelers by Spraying Tiny Metal Rods Into Its Atmospherehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-could-warm-up-mars-for-space-travelers-by-spraying-tiny-metal-rods-into-its-atmosphere-180984863/Researchers propose a new technique for making the Red Planet more habitable by engineering heat-trapping nanoparticles from Martian dustFri, 09 Aug 2024 18:11:11 +0000Fossils Shed New Light on Small 'Hobbit-Like' Humans That Lived on a Remote Islandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fossils-shed-new-light-on-small-hobbit-like-humans-that-lived-on-a-remote-island-180984854/Two teeth and a small adult arm bone found in Indonesia suggest the ancestors of Homo floresiensis were even shorter than scientists previously thoughtFri, 09 Aug 2024 15:51:27 +0000Philippe Petit Marks the 50th Anniversary of His World Trade Center Walk With a New High Wire Acthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/philippe-petit-marks-50-years-since-his-world-trade-center-walk-in-a-new-high-wire-act-180984859/The 74-year-old French artist reflected on his stunt and balanced on a tightrope at two performances in ManhattanFri, 09 Aug 2024 14:41:55 +0000NASA Astronauts Launched on Eight-Day Mission Might Have to Remain on the ISS Until Februaryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-astronauts-launched-on-eight-day-mission-might-have-to-remain-on-the-iss-until-february-180984862/After technical issues on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, the space agency says it's considering bringing the astronauts back to Earth on a SpaceX Crew Dragon insteadThu, 08 Aug 2024 20:43:41 +0000See Images of New Yorkers and Their Pets Across Three Centurieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-images-of-new-yorkers-and-their-pets-across-three-centuries-180984850/An upcoming exhibition will trace the history of the city's domesticated dogs, cats, horses and other animalsThu, 08 Aug 2024 20:11:10 +0000Your Microwave Is Teeming With Bacteria, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/your-microwave-is-teeming-with-bacteria-study-suggests-180984861/Researchers found thriving communities of microbes in microwave ovens used in home kitchens, shared spaces and laboratoriesThu, 08 Aug 2024 18:59:04 +0000See Rare Italian Renaissance Drawings at Buckingham Palacehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/buckingham-palace-shows-off-never-before-seen-italian-renaissance-drawings-in-new-exhibition-180984851/An upcoming exhibition will feature 160 sketches by Italian masters such as Leonardo da Vinci and TitianThu, 08 Aug 2024 18:27:28 +0000A Herd of Life-Size Elephant Sculptures Is Marching Across Americahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-herd-of-elephant-sculptures-is-marching-across-america-180984839/Created by artists in India, the artworks are part of a larger effort to promote coexistence between humans and animalsThu, 08 Aug 2024 15:49:39 +0000Scientists Enlist the Help of Sea Lions to Reveal a Unique View of the Ocean Floorhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-enlist-the-help-of-sea-lions-to-reveal-a-unique-view-of-the-ocean-floor-180984853/Australian researchers glued satellite-linked GPS cameras to the animals' backs to capture footage that could be vital to marine conservation effortsWed, 07 Aug 2024 20:36:08 +0000Unraveling the Mysteries of the Battle of Attu, the 'Forgotten Battle' of World War IIhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unraveling-the-mysteries-of-the-battle-of-attu-the-forgotten-battle-of-world-war-ii-180984846/Underwater archaeologists discovered three shipwrecks submerged near the small Alaskan island, which was the site of one of the deadliest conflicts in the PacificWed, 07 Aug 2024 19:55:28 +0000Meteorite Strikes Are the Primary Creator of the Moon's Thin Atmosphere, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meteorite-strikes-are-the-primary-creator-of-the-moons-thin-atmosphere-study-finds-180984835/Researchers examined lunar soil samples collected during the Apollo missions to determine which weathering processes contribute most to replenishing the moon's atmosphereWed, 07 Aug 2024 18:43:35 +0000The Mystery of the Bronze Age Ax Heads Mailed Anonymously to an Irish Museum Has Been Solvedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mystery-of-these-anonymously-mailed-bronze-age-ax-heads-has-been-solved-180984841/A farmer stumbled upon the 4,000-year-old artifacts while working in his field in central IrelandWed, 07 Aug 2024 17:06:05 +0000She's the Oldest Common Loon in the World. She Just Had Her 42nd Chickhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shes-the-oldest-common-loon-in-the-world-she-just-had-her-42nd-chick-180984845/Fe, who is at least 38 years old, initially rose to fame as one half of the "resident power couple" at Michigan's Seney National Wildlife RefugeWed, 07 Aug 2024 16:45:04 +0000Banksy Unveils Two New Animal Murals in Two Dayshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/banksy-unveils-two-new-animal-murals-in-two-days-180984840/One piece features a goat perched on a ledge, while the other shows two elephants in windowsWed, 07 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000Scientists Find Water Molecules in Lunar Rock Sample for the First Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/Scientists-Find-H2O-Molecules-in-Change-5-Lunar-Samples-180984844/The samples from China's Chang'e 5 mission shed light on lunar resources that could be vital to future missions and habitationsTue, 06 Aug 2024 18:56:04 +0000Archaeologists Stumble Upon Ancient Pot of Gold Coins in Turkeyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-stumble-upon-an-ancient-pot-of-gold-in-turkey-180984836/Researchers think the hoard, which dates to the fifth century B.C.E., may have been buried during a time of upheavalTue, 06 Aug 2024 18:42:18 +0000Ancient Egyptians May Have Used Hydraulic Lift to Build Pyramidhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptians-may-have-used-hydraulic-lift-to-build-pyramid-180984843/Researchers propose that a system of water could have lifted heavy stones to the height necessary to construct the Step PyramidTue, 06 Aug 2024 17:34:01 +0000This 16-Foot-Tall Pigeon Sculpture Is Coming to New York City's High Linehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-pigeon-sculpture-to-make-its-debut-on-new-york-citys-high-line-180984829/Artist Iván Argote hopes the artwork, titled "Dinosaur," will inspire "attraction, seduction and fear"Tue, 06 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000Swimming in Schools May Help Fish Save Energy in Turbulent Watershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/swimming-in-schools-may-help-fish-save-energy-in-turbulent-waters-180984833/A new study suggests schooling fish use up to 79 percent less energy in rough conditions than fish that swim aloneMon, 05 Aug 2024 21:08:39 +000017th-Century Home Unearthed in Colonial Williamsburghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/360-year-old-colonial-home-that-likely-belonged-to-a-wealthy-family-discovered-in-virginia-180984830/Crews were constructing a new archaeology center when they stumbled upon the historic structure's foundations and accompanying artifactsMon, 05 Aug 2024 20:02:30 +0000When Vultures Nearly Disappeared in India, Half a Million People Died, Too, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-vultures-nearly-disappeared-in-india-half-a-million-people-died-too-study-finds-180984837/By being nature's clean-up crew, the often maligned birds help prevent the spread of diseases, according to a new studyMon, 05 Aug 2024 19:49:35 +0000Hidden Underground Magma Pools Fueled Iceland's Volcanic Eruptions, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hidden-underground-magma-pools-fueled-icelands-volcanic-eruptions-study-suggests-180984818/A subterranean plumbing system of magma beneath the island’s Reykjanes Peninsula may have helped set off the recent series of eruptions that could last for centuriesMon, 05 Aug 2024 18:14:01 +0000A Statue of Johnny Cash Is Coming to the U.S. Capitolhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-us-capitol-is-getting-a-statue-of-johnny-cash-180984834/Standing alongside civil rights leader Daisy Bates, the singer-songwriter will represent the state of Arkansas in Statuary HallMon, 05 Aug 2024 17:16:06 +0000How to Watch the Perseids, the 'Best Meteor Shower of the Year'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-watch-the-perseids-the-best-meteor-shower-of-the-year-180984832/The annual celestial event is one of the year's most anticipated, and it will peak from August 11 to 12Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:00:58 +0000'We Have a Rattlesnake Problem': Wildland Firefighters in the West Must Also Face a Slithering, Venomous Foehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/we-have-a-rattlesnake-problem-wildland-firefighters-in-the-west-must-also-face-a-slithering-venomous-foe-180984828/Nearly 100 large fires are burning in the United States right now, including some in rattlesnake territoryMon, 05 Aug 2024 15:46:11 +0000Olympians Finally Got to Swim in the Seine Riverhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/its-official-olympians-swim-in-the-seine-river-180984821/After months of uncertainty, the women's and men's triathlon events kicked off with a dip in the long-polluted waterway that runs through the heart of ParisFri, 02 Aug 2024 20:00:01 +0000Egyptian Mummy Dubbed 'Screaming Woman' May Have Died in Agonyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/egyptian-mummy-dubbed-screaming-woman-may-have-died-in-agony-researchers-hypothesize-180984825/The woman, preserved with an open mouth, went through an expensive mummification process 3,500 years agoFri, 02 Aug 2024 17:40:38 +0000Was This Renaissance Alchemist Ahead of His Time?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/was-this-renaissance-alchemist-ahead-of-his-time-180984827/New research suggests that Tycho Brahe isolated tungsten nearly 200 years before the metal was identified as an elementFri, 02 Aug 2024 17:20:45 +0000Static Electricity May Help Butterflies and Moths Pick Up Pollenhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/static-electricity-may-help-butterflies-and-moths-pick-up-pollen-180984823/A new study measured the insects' electrostatic charges and used computer simulations to show that the charges were strong enough to lift pollenFri, 02 Aug 2024 17:20:11 +0000These Remote Volcanic Islands in the South Pacific Just Became a UNESCO World Heritage Sitehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-remote-volcanic-islands-in-the-south-pacific-just-became-a-unesco-world-heritage-site-180984811/The Marquesas, located some 3,000 miles from their nearest continental neighbor, are some of the most isolated islands on the planetFri, 02 Aug 2024 15:09:45 +0000Early Humans Migrated Out of Africa Several Times, DNA Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/early-humans-migrated-out-of-africa-several-times-dna-study-suggests-180984824/Homo sapiens interbred with Neanderthals as early as 250,000 years ago and may have ultimately bred them out of existence, according to new researchFri, 02 Aug 2024 13:15:00 +0000Yosemite's Peregrine Falcons Are Rebounding Thanks to Unlikely Allies: Rock Climbershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/yosemites-peregrine-falcons-are-rebounding-thanks-to-unlikely-allies-rock-climbers-180984819/After pesticides decimated the birds' numbers, climbers helped the species regain a foothold in the parkThu, 01 Aug 2024 20:56:08 +0000French Performance Artist Seals Himself in a Giant Bottle for Ten Days Outside Paris' Olympic Stadiumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/french-performance-artist-seals-himself-in-a-giant-bottle-for-10-days-outside-the-olympic-stadium-180984815/Abraham Poincheval has become a living message in a bottle, exploring themes of privacy and public spaceThu, 01 Aug 2024 19:35:23 +0000Rare 1-in-100-Million 'Cotton Candy' Lobster Found off the Coast of New Hampshirehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-1-in-100-million-cotton-candy-lobster-found-off-the-coast-of-new-hampshire-180984814/A rare genetic mutation gives the crustacean its unique hues but also makes it more vulnerable to predatorsThu, 01 Aug 2024 19:19:13 +0000What Is the Secret Ingredient Behind Rembrandt’s Golden Glow?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-secret-ingredient-behind-rembrandt-golden-glow-180984816/Scientists found arsenic sulfide pigments in "The Night Watch," arguably the artist's most famous paintingThu, 01 Aug 2024 17:49:05 +0000Out-of-Place 'Devil Bird' Wows Spectators in Maine, the First Anhinga Ever Seen in the Statehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/out-of-place-devil-bird-wows-spectators-in-maine-the-first-anhinga-ever-seen-in-the-state-180984809/Anhingas normally live in South America and along the Gulf of Mexico—but one of these long-necked creatures flew farther north than PortlandThu, 01 Aug 2024 16:51:21 +0000Researchers Decipher Cuneiform Tablet—and Discover It’s a Furniture Receipthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-decipher-cuneiform-tablet-and-discover-its-a-furniture-receipt-180984805/The small clay rectangle is engraved with an ancient Semitic language known as AkkadianThu, 01 Aug 2024 13:13:12 +0000The Largest T. Rex Could Have Been 70 Percent Heavier Than Fossils Suggesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-largest-t-rex-could-have-been-70-heavier-than-fossils-suggest-180984807/Two scientists used modeling to predict how big the giant carnivores could have really grown, making a point that fossils likely don't represent the largest or smallest individuals of a speciesWed, 31 Jul 2024 20:16:37 +0000New National Park Site Spotlights School Segregation in Texashttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-newest-national-park-site-tells-the-story-of-school-segregation-in-americas-hispanic-communities-180984796/The Blackwell School was once Marfa's only public school for Mexican and Mexican American studentsWed, 31 Jul 2024 19:44:56 +0000Aristocratic Tomb Discovered in Italy Offers Clues to a Mysterious Pre-Roman Civilizationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/aristocratic-tomb-discovered-in-italy-offers-clues-mysterious-pre-roman-civilization-180984810/The burial site, rife with Iron Age artifacts like a chariot and a helmet, likely belonged to a Piceni princeWed, 31 Jul 2024 19:10:01 +0000Divers Find Crates of Unopened Champagne in 19th-Century Shipwreckhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/divers-find-shipwreck-loaded-with-champagne-near-sweden-180984784/Discovered near Sweden, the vessel was loaded with bottles of sparkling wine, mineral water and porcelainWed, 31 Jul 2024 17:37:08 +0000Ancient Mesoamerican 'Pyramid of the Moon' May Align With Summer and Winter Solsticeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-mesoamerican-pyramid-of-the-moon-may-align-with-summer-and-winter-solstices-180984797/New research suggests the monument in Teotihuacán, along with the larger Pyramid of the Sun, were designed based on astronomical movementsWed, 31 Jul 2024 17:36:09 +0000Komodo Dragons Have Iron-Coated Teeth, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/komodo-dragons-have-iron-coated-teeth-study-finds-180984799/New research provides the first evidence of the adaptation in a carnivorous reptile, and it might hold clues to understanding the teeth of dinosaursWed, 31 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000Is Princess Leia's 'Star Wars' Bikini the Most Controversial Costume in Sci-Fi History?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-princess-leia-star-wars-bikini-most-controversial-costume-sci-fi-history-180984804/A version of the gold outfit worn by Carrie Fisher on the set of "Return of the Jedi" fetched $175,000 at auctionWed, 31 Jul 2024 11:35:00 +0000A Record-Breaking 17 California Condor Chicks Hatched at the L.A. Zoo This Yearhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-record-breaking-17-california-condor-chicks-hatched-at-the-la-zoo-this-year-180984801/The successful breeding season offers more hope for the endangered species, which has come back from the brink of extinction due to captive breeding effortsTue, 30 Jul 2024 19:27:42 +0000Art Historian Discovers Long-Lost Portrait of Henry VIII in Background of Social Media Posthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/art-historian-discovers-long-lost-portrait-of-henry-viii-in-background-of-social-media-post-180984803/Commissioned by a wealthy tapestry maker in the 1590s, the Tudor king's likeness features a distinctive frame with a rounded topTue, 30 Jul 2024 18:43:58 +0000The Story Behind This Breathtaking Viral Photo of an Olympic Surferhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-story-behind-this-breathtaking-viral-photo-of-an-olympic-surfer-180984800/Jérôme Brouillet, a photojournalist with the Agence France-Presse (AFP), captured an iconic moment when Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina celebrated after setting an Olympic recordTue, 30 Jul 2024 18:10:00 +0000Archaeologists Crack Open a 2,000-Year-Old Coffin in Italy's ‘Tomb of Cerberus’https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-crack-open-a-2000-year-old-coffin-in-italys-tomb-of-cerberus-180984798/The stone coffin likely contains the leader of the family that built the frescoed chamber in NaplesTue, 30 Jul 2024 17:25:00 +0000Inside the Controversial Plan to Turn a Hotel Where Jane Austen Attended Balls Into Student Dormshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/inside-the-controversial-plan-to-turn-a-hotel-where-jane-austen-attended-balls-into-student-dorms-180984792/Devoted readers are worried about the fate of the historic Dolphin Hotel in southern EnglandTue, 30 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000Mars Rover Finds Three Possible Signs of Ancient Life on a Single Rockhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-rover-finds-three-possible-signs-of-ancient-life-on-a-single-rock-180984783/Scientists were cautiously optimistic about Perseverance's discovery, though they indicated further research is needed before drawing definitive conclusionsMon, 29 Jul 2024 20:32:44 +0000Ancient Rome's Appian Way Is Now a UNESCO World Heritage Sitehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-romes-stone-highway-has-become-a-world-heritage-site-180984788/The 500-mile-long stone highway is Italy's 60th property to receive the designationMon, 29 Jul 2024 20:27:54 +0000Alzheimer's Blood Test Outperforms Standard Diagnostics in New Studyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alzheimers-blood-test-outperforms-standard-diagnostics-in-new-study-180984791/The blood test accurately diagnosed Alzheimer's around 90 percent of the time, compared to 73 percent for specialists and 61 percent for primary care physiciansMon, 29 Jul 2024 19:15:04 +0000These Backpack-Wearing Dogs Have an Important Job to Dohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-backpack-wearing-dogs-have-an-important-job-to-do-180984790/The pups are dispersing seeds at an urban nature reserve—just like their wild wolf ancestors used to do before being hunted to extinctionMon, 29 Jul 2024 18:43:00 +0000Two Rare Jurassic Skulls Could Help Unlock the Secrets of Mammals' Evolutionary Successhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-rare-jurassic-skulls-could-help-unlock-the-secrets-of-mammals-evolutionary-success-180984789/Fossils reveal a prehistoric, mouse-like creature matured slower and lived longer than similar mammals of todayMon, 29 Jul 2024 18:25:50 +0000Why Are the Olympic Surfing Events Being Held in Tahiti?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-are-the-olympic-surfing-events-being-held-in-tahiti-180984776/The tiny village of Teahupo’o, known for its monstrous, barrel-shaped waves, will host 48 athletes from 21 countries during the Summer GamesMon, 29 Jul 2024 18:05:03 +0000Divers Discover Mesmerizing Roman Mosaic Beneath the Seahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/underwater-marble-floor-mosaic-discovered-off-the-coast-of-naples-180984772/Found near Naples, the marble slabs once adorned a villa in a city known as the Las Vegas of the Roman EmpireMon, 29 Jul 2024 14:16:43 +0000Watch Andy Warhol's Eight-Hour Film About the Empire State Building on the Skyscraper's 80th Floorhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-andy-warhols-film-about-the-empire-state-building-on-the-buildings-80th-floor-180984779/Released in 1964, the divisive experimental film is being screened in honor of its 60th anniversaryFri, 26 Jul 2024 19:29:15 +0000Taco-Shaped Creature Had a 'Major Edge' in Evolution—and 30 Pairs of Spiny Legshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/taco-shaped-creature-had-a-major-edge-in-evolution-and-30-pairs-of-spiny-legs-180984781/This shrimp-like arthropod was among the first to have a mandible, and it used a complex feeding mechanism during the Cambrian explosion, according to a new studyFri, 26 Jul 2024 18:03:49 +0000Why Is the Paris Olympics Running Track Purple?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/purple-in-paris-why-the-olympics-running-track-is-an-unusual-hue-180984782/The track incorporates recycled mussel and clam shells in a bid to help make the Summer Games the most sustainable yetFri, 26 Jul 2024 18:02:19 +0000Nashville Museum Returns Hundreds of Pre-Columbian Artifacts to Mexicohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nashville-museum-returns-hundreds-of-pre-columbian-artifacts-to-mexico-180984780/The items also went on display in an exhibition that detailed the repatriation processFri, 26 Jul 2024 16:35:54 +0000Scientists Discover 'Dark Oxygen' on the Ocean Floor Generated—Surprisingly—by Lumps of Metalhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-dark-oxygen-on-the-ocean-floor-generated-surprisingly-by-lumps-of-metal-180984778/Researchers found that electric currents from polymetallic nodules are behind this alchemy—the same minerals that deep-sea miners are targetingFri, 26 Jul 2024 16:13:10 +0000The Smell of Human Stress Leads Dogs to Make More Pessimistic Decisions, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-smell-of-human-stress-leads-dogs-to-make-more-pessimistic-decisions-study-suggests-180984777/Canines that smelled the sweat of anxious people were less likely to approach a bowl that might have contained food, indicating humans' emotions can affect dogs' behaviorFri, 26 Jul 2024 13:45:00 +0000Watch 100,000 Dominoes Topple to the Ground in a Dazzling Eight-Minute Displayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/100000-dominoes-topple-at-the-national-building-museum-in-dc-180984764/Artist Lily Hevesh spent ten days creating the elaborate installation at the National Building MuseumFri, 26 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000NASA's Curiosity Rover Accidentally Discovers Sulfur Crystals on Marshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-curiosity-rover-accidentally-discovers-sulfur-crystals-on-mars-180984748/The rover’s wheel cracked open a rock and revealed pure elemental sulfur, which researchers have never seen on the Red Planet beforeFri, 26 Jul 2024 12:04:12 +0000Watch a Yellowstone Hot Spring Explode Into a Boiling Column of Mud, Water and Rockhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-a-yellowstone-hot-spring-explode-into-a-boiling-column-of-mud-water-and-rock-180984771/Hydrothermal explosions typically occur every year in the popular national park, but rarely in areas so heavily trafficked by visitorsThu, 25 Jul 2024 20:44:48 +0000This History Buff Found a Scrap of George Washington's Tent at Goodwillhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/history-buff-bought-a-scrap-of-george-washingtons-tent-from-goodwill-180984757/The fragment, which was part of Washington's dining marquee during the Revolutionary War, is now on display at a museum in PhiladelphiaThu, 25 Jul 2024 19:57:54 +0000Ruins of Centuries-Old Palace That Housed Dozens of Popes Discovered in Romehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ruins-centuries-old-palace-housed-dozens-popes-discovered-rome-180984774/Before the papacy relocated in the 1300s, first to Avignon and then to the Vatican, pontiffs lived at the Lateran PalaceThu, 25 Jul 2024 19:53:43 +0000The 'World's Loneliest Plant' Could Soon Find a Mate With a Little Help From A.I.https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-loneliest-plant-could-soon-find-a-mate-with-a-little-help-from-ai-180984773/The only known wild Wood's cycad was discovered in 1895, and it has since been cloned into many male trees. Now, researchers are scouring a forest in South Africa for an elusive female specimenThu, 25 Jul 2024 19:24:00 +0000Shipwreck Found in Lake Michigan 130 Years After Sinking With Captain's 'Intelligent and Faithful' Dog Onboardhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwreck-found-in-lake-michigan-130-years-after-sinking-with-captains-intelligent-and-faithful-dog-onboard-180984766/The captain said he would "rather lose any sum of money than to have the brute perish as he did"Thu, 25 Jul 2024 18:04:31 +0000Earth Reached Its Hottest Day on Record Twice in a Row This Weekhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earth-reached-its-hottest-day-on-record-twice-in-a-row-this-week-180984770/The global average surface temperature soared to 17.15 degrees Celsius on Monday, or 62.87 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking a short-lived record set on SundayThu, 25 Jul 2024 17:36:41 +0000This Art Student Stole a Coin From the British Museum—and Dropped It in the Donation Boxhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-art-student-stole-a-coin-from-the-british-museumand-dropped-it-in-the-donation-box-180984767/Ilê Sartuzi briefly pocketed a 17th-century coin to make a statement about looted artifacts held by the museumThu, 25 Jul 2024 16:39:13 +0000Thirteen Sharks Test Positive for Cocaine Off the Coast of Brazilhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thirteen-sharks-test-positive-for-cocaine-off-the-coast-of-brazil-180984765/All of the wild Brazilian sharpnose sharks tested in a new study had the drug in their bodies, but many questions remain about cocaine's effects on aquatic creatures—and the humans who eat themThu, 25 Jul 2024 14:10:50 +0000This 13-Year-Old Stumbled Upon a Roman-Era Ring While Hiking in Israelhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/A-13-year-old-kid-just-discovered-an-1800-year-old-ring-on-a-hike-180984754/The small artifact, discovered near an ancient farmstead, features an engraving of the goddess MinervaWed, 24 Jul 2024 21:04:13 +0000How to Watch the Southern Delta Aquariids Meteor Showerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-watch-the-southern-delta-aquariids-meteor-shower-180984759/Though not as prolific as the Perseids, this annual spectacle is 'scientifically interesting' because its comet of origin remains a mysteryWed, 24 Jul 2024 20:48:01 +0000Is Venice's Controversial Entry Fee Working?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-venices-controversial-entry-fee-working-180984758/Officials introduced the day-tripper fee to fight overtourism in the historic city, but critics aren't convinced it's helpingWed, 24 Jul 2024 19:07:01 +0000Chimpanzees Take Turns in Fast-Paced Conversations, Just Like Humans Dohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chimpanzees-take-turns-in-fast-paced-conversations-just-like-humans-do-180984763/A new study finds the average chimpanzee response time in gestured conversations is 120 milliseconds, which isn’t that far from the human average of 200 millisecondsWed, 24 Jul 2024 18:42:32 +0000Hidden Self-Portrait by Norman Cornish Discovered Behind Another Paintinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-hidden-norman-cornish-self-portrait-is-discovered-on-the-back-of-a-painting-180984741/A conservator in northern England stumbled upon the work on the reverse side of a piece called "Bar Scene"Wed, 24 Jul 2024 17:24:35 +0000Botanists Vote to Remove Racial Slur From Hundreds of Plant Species Nameshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/botanists-vote-to-remove-racial-slur-from-hundreds-of-plant-species-names-180984762/In a first for taxonomy, researchers opted to change scientific names containing derivatives of the slur “caffra” to derivatives of “afr,” in reference to the plants' origins in AfricaWed, 24 Jul 2024 15:33:10 +00002024 Olympics Torch and Torchbearer's Uniform Sell at Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2024-olympics-torch-and-torchbearers-uniform-sells-at-auction-180984750/The sale's big-ticket item, a torch from the 1960 Winter Games, did not end up sellingTue, 23 Jul 2024 20:34:31 +0000Chicago Building Where Nearly 1,000 Birds Died in One Night Last Fall Installs Bird-Safe Window Filmhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chicago-building-where-nearly-1000-birds-died-in-one-night-last-fall-installs-bird-safe-window-film-180984755/The glass-covered lakefront convention center has long been known among wildlife advocacy groups as a site of mass casualties for migratory birdsTue, 23 Jul 2024 20:10:03 +0000See 25 Stunning Images of the Cosmos From the Chandra X-Ray Observatory as It Celebrates 25 Years in Spacehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-25-stunning-images-of-the-cosmos-from-the-chandra-x-ray-observatory-as-it-celebrates-25-years-in-space-180984745/Chandra, the world’s most powerful X-ray telescope, has been peering at black holes, stellar explosions and dark energy for a quarter-centuryTue, 23 Jul 2024 19:37:12 +0000Carvings of Ancient Pharaohs Unearthed in Nile Riverhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/carvings-of-ancient-pharaohs-unearthed-in-the-nile-river-180984751/The underwater expedition took place at a site that was flooded during the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960sTue, 23 Jul 2024 18:37:06 +0000New Yorkers Step Into Life-Size Replicas of Iconic Edward Hopper Paintingshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-yorkers-hop-into-iconic-hopper-paintings-for-the-artists-142nd-birthday-180984746/Three of the realist painter's most famous artworks came to life in an interactive installation in ManhattanTue, 23 Jul 2024 15:59:16 +0000Roman Wall Built to Contain Spartacus' Forces Discovered in Italyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-the-roman-wall-spartacus-broke-through-with-his-rebel-army-180984738/Archaeologists think the Roman army constructed it to contain the revolting gladiator in 71 B.C.E.Mon, 22 Jul 2024 20:06:54 +0000Common Blood Thinners Could Combat Snakebites, Preventing Tissue Damage and Amputations, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/common-blood-thinners-could-combat-snakebites-preventing-tissue-damage-and-amputations-study-finds-180984747/An estimated 400,000 people per year are permanently disabled because of snake venom, which can cause lesions and necrosis at the bite siteMon, 22 Jul 2024 20:05:02 +0000See How the Brain Responds to Psychedelic 'Magic Mushrooms'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-how-the-brain-responds-to-psychedelic-magic-mushrooms-180984727/A new study mapped large, temporary changes in brain areas related to introspection and one's sense of self, after participants took a dose of the drug psilocybinMon, 22 Jul 2024 17:43:44 +0000This Bronze Age Ship Replica, Made From Reeds and Goat Hair, Just Sailed 50 Nautical Mileshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bronze-age-ship-replica-made-from-reeds-and-goat-hair-just-sailed-50-nautical-miles-180984728/Researchers constructed the vessel using a list of materials found on a 4,000-year-old clay tabletMon, 22 Jul 2024 17:41:45 +0000Musket Balls Fired in Early Revolutionary War Battle Unearthed in Concordhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-have-discovered-the-first-musket-balls-fired-in-the-american-revolution-180984726/Colonial militiamen fired the lead balls on April 19, 1775—and likely missed their markMon, 22 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000Amid Its Volcanic Eruption, Pompeii Was Also Rocked by an Earthquake, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/amid-its-volcanic-eruption-pompeii-was-also-rocked-by-an-earthquake-study-suggests-180984743/Researchers uncovered skeletal remains of two people in the ancient city that seem to have been killed by a building collapse caused by seismic activityFri, 19 Jul 2024 20:56:16 +0000NASA Cancels VIPER Moon Mission After Spending $450 Million to Build a Roverhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-cancels-viper-moon-mission-after-spending-450-million-to-build-a-rover-180984744/The project was intended to look for water ice in the shaded craters on the lunar south poleFri, 19 Jul 2024 19:53:58 +0000Researchers Unearth Mysterious Structure Beneath Maya Ball Courthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-have-discovered-a-mysterious-buried-maya-structure-180984718/Featuring painted stucco walls, the structure likely dates to between 200 and 600 C.E.Fri, 19 Jul 2024 19:29:07 +0000Black Sailors Exonerated 80 Years After Deadly World War II Disasterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/black-sailors-exonerated-80-years-after-deadly-wwii-disaster-180984734/The Navy secretary officially cleared the 256 Black service members who were punished in connection with the explosion in Port Chicago, CaliforniaFri, 19 Jul 2024 16:46:08 +0000Was This Giant, Armadillo-Like Animal Butchered by Humans in Argentina 21,000 Years Ago?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/was-this-giant-armadillo-like-animal-butchered-by-humans-in-argentina-21000-years-ago-180984731/The creature's bones show evidence of cutting with stone tools, adding to a series of findings that suggest humans were present in the Americas earlier than thoughtFri, 19 Jul 2024 16:45:22 +0000Astronomers Propose New Criteria to Classify Planets, but Pluto Still Doesn't Make the Cuthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-propose-new-criteria-to-classify-planets-but-pluto-still-doesnt-make-the-cut-180984733/The new definition would define planets based on mass, rather than more ambiguous shape and size characteristicsFri, 19 Jul 2024 12:13:19 +0000See Fetching Portraits of Man's Best Friend in a New Exhibition All About Dogshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-manhattan-gallery-shows-off-fetching-pieces-in-an-art-show-all-about-dogs-180984721/"Dog Days of Summer" features artworks in a variety of styles made between 1915 and the presentThu, 18 Jul 2024 19:53:10 +0000Look Into a 'Mega Den' of 2,000 Slithering Rattlesnakes With This Live Stream in Coloradohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/look-into-a-mega-den-of-2000-slithering-rattlesnakes-with-this-live-stream-in-colorado-180984729/Run by researchers at Cal Poly, the stream is part of a citizen science initiative that aims to change the public's perception of the much-maligned reptilesThu, 18 Jul 2024 19:32:38 +0000Paris Mayor Takes a Dip in the Seine Ahead of the Summer Olympicshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paris-mayor-takes-a-dip-in-the-seine-ahead-of-the-summer-olympics-180984724/The city spent $1.5 billion to improve water quality in the river, where several Olympic events are scheduled to take placeThu, 18 Jul 2024 18:34:31 +0000California Faces a Brutal Wildfire Season, With More Land Burned to Date Than in Recent Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/california-faces-a-brutal-wildfire-season-with-more-land-burned-to-date-than-in-recent-years-180984719/The state's fires have burned more than 11 times as much land so far in 2024 than they had at this point last year, according to the most recent numbers from Cal FireThu, 18 Jul 2024 18:25:17 +0000The World's Rarest Whale May Have Just Washed Ashore in New Zealandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-rarest-whale-may-have-just-washed-ashore-in-new-zealand-180984725/No one has ever recorded a live sighting of the spade-toothed whale, but experts say the dolphin-like creature found earlier this month is "no doubt" a member of the elusive speciesWed, 17 Jul 2024 21:15:44 +0000China Plans to Open Ming Dynasty Tombs to the Public by 2030https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beijing-plans-to-open-all-13-ming-tombs-by-2030-180984715/The sprawling burial complex on the outskirts of Beijing was built to hold the remains of 13 emperorsWed, 17 Jul 2024 20:52:30 +0000Copenhagen Is Rewarding Tourists for Good Behaviorhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/copenhagen-is-rewarding-tourists-for-good-behavior-180984702/A new initiative incentives activities like riding a bike, taking public transit and cleaning up litterWed, 17 Jul 2024 19:35:19 +0000Watch Chatty Beluga Families Migrate With These Stunning Live Cams in Canadahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-chatty-beluga-families-migrate-with-these-stunning-live-cams-in-canada-180984720/Polar Bears International and Explore.org are once again capturing video footage and audio recordings of the social marine mammals as tens of thousands congregate in the Churchill River this summerWed, 17 Jul 2024 19:31:49 +0000Paper Cuttings Made by 17th-Century Schoolgirls Discovered Beneath Floorboardshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-350-year-old-paper-cuttings-from-a-london-girls-school-go-on-display-180984712/The fragile cutouts are going on display at Sutton House in London, which was once a boarding school for girlsWed, 17 Jul 2024 17:03:44 +0000New 'Butter' Made From Carbon Dioxide Tastes Like the Real Dairy Product, Startup Sayshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-butter-made-from-carbon-dioxide-tastes-like-the-real-dairy-product-startup-says-180984717/The company, called Savor, uses a synthetic fat to approximate the taste of butter and is seeking regulatory approvalWed, 17 Jul 2024 16:55:10 +0000A Statue of a 12-Year-Old Hiroshima Victim Has Been Stolenhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/statue-of-a-child-killed-by-the-bombing-of-hiroshima-has-been-stolen-180984710/The monument to Sadako Sasaki, who died of leukemia in 1955, vanished from Peace Park in SeattleTue, 16 Jul 2024 20:59:17 +0000Scientists Find an Underground Cave on the Moon That Could Shelter Future Explorershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-find-an-underground-cave-on-the-moon-that-could-shelter-future-explorers-180984711/Such caves could serve as lunar bases during upcoming missions, protecting astronauts against cosmic radiation and extreme temperaturesTue, 16 Jul 2024 20:26:57 +0000See Inside Denver's 143-Year-Old Train Stationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/denvers-143-year-old-train-station-just-got-an-11-million-makeoversee-inside-180984709/The transit hub, which just got an $11 million makeover, is deeply connected to the city's historyTue, 16 Jul 2024 19:45:37 +0000Nesting Shorebirds Are Mobbing Drones on New York City Beacheshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nesting-shorebirds-are-mobbing-drones-on-new-york-city-beaches-180984713/The drones, equipped with inflatable life rafts, were intended to help improve public safety for humans this summer—but they're also upsetting orange-beaked birds called American oystercatchersTue, 16 Jul 2024 19:06:22 +0000Check Out Ten Never-Before-Seen Paintings by Winston Churchillhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/check-out-ten-never-before-seen-winston-churchill-paintings-currently-on-display-180984706/The former British prime minister was an avid painter who sometimes gifted his works to other world leadersTue, 16 Jul 2024 17:16:22 +0000Someone Anonymously Mailed Two Bronze Age Axes to a Museum in Irelandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-anonymously-sent-bronze-age-axes-arrive-at-an-irish-museum-in-a-pancake-box-180984704/Officials are asking the donor to come forward with more information about where the artifacts were discoveredMon, 15 Jul 2024 20:28:29 +0000A Giant Polka-Dotted Pumpkin Takes Root in London's Kensington Gardenshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/massive-polka-dot-pumpkin-puts-down-roots-in-londons-kensington-gardens-180984693/The bronze sculpture was created by famed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who often uses pumpkins in her workMon, 15 Jul 2024 18:42:12 +0000Spacesuit Prototype Turns Pee Into Drinking Waterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacesuit-prototype-turns-pee-into-drinking-water-180984707/The system is inspired by the stillsuits for collecting moisture in the science fiction epic <em>Dune</em>Mon, 15 Jul 2024 18:09:41 +0000James Webb's Newest Image Shows a Giant Penguin and an Egghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/james-webbs-newest-image-shows-a-giant-penguin-and-an-egg-180984705/NASA released the dazzling portrait to help celebrate the two-year anniversary of the release of Webb's first imagesMon, 15 Jul 2024 17:24:57 +0000Did Plague Cause the Mysterious Collapse of Europe's Early Farmers 5,000 Years Ago?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-plague-cause-the-mysterious-collapse-of-europes-early-farmers-5000-years-ago-180984688/A new study finds widespread DNA evidence that an ancestor pathogen of the Black Death helped bring about the end of an agricultural society responsible for megalithic tombs and monuments, like StonehengeMon, 15 Jul 2024 16:50:12 +0000Cypress Hill Performs With the London Symphony Orchestra—Just as 'The Simpsons' Predicted 28 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cypress-hill-performs-with-the-london-symphony-orchestra-28-years-after-simpsons-joke-180984697/Originally a gag on the sitcom, the unexpected collaboration drew a packed house at the Royal Albert Hall in LondonMon, 15 Jul 2024 15:40:48 +0000Fire Extinguished at Rouen Cathedral, a Frequent Subject of Monet's Paintingshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fire-extinguished-at-rouen-cathedral-a-frequent-subject-of-monets-paintings-180984703/The 12th-century structure and the artworks inside it sustained no significant damageFri, 12 Jul 2024 21:17:11 +0000You Can Now Visit France's First-Ever Cheese Museumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-now-visit-frances-first-ever-museum-dedicated-to-cheese-180984687/The Musée du Fromage in Paris hosts tastings and teaches visitors about traditional cheesemaking practicesFri, 12 Jul 2024 19:33:21 +0000EPA Reaches $241 Million Settlement With Marathon Oilhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/epa-reaches-241-million-settlement-with-marathon-oil-180984698/The company was illegally polluting the air at nearly 90 facilities in North Dakota, a complaint allegesFri, 12 Jul 2024 18:52:22 +00003D DNA Preserved for 52,000 Years in Freeze-Dried Woolly Mammoth Remainshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/3d-dna-preserved-for-52000-years-in-freeze-dried-woolly-mammoth-remains-180984699/For the first time, researchers have mapped ancient genetic material in unprecedented detailFri, 12 Jul 2024 18:33:19 +0000See Ten Creepy-Crawly Portraits From the Insect Week Photography Contesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ten-creepy-crawly-portraits-from-the-insect-week-photography-contest-180984652/The Royal Entomological Society’s Photography Competition highlights the wonder and diversity of the six-legged creatures that crawl, swim and fly across the planetFri, 12 Jul 2024 18:21:14 +0000Archaeologists Unearth 4,000-Year-Old Ceremonial Temple in Peruhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-4000-year-old-ceremonial-temple-in-peru-180984696/The structure appears to predate Machu Picchu, the country's best-known archaeological site, by 3,500 yearsFri, 12 Jul 2024 17:03:33 +0000Melting Ice Reveals Body of American Mountaineer Missing for 22 Years in the Peruvian Andeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/melting-ice-reveals-body-of-american-mountaineer-missing-for-22-years-in-the-peruvian-andes-180984690/Bill Stampfl, Matthew Richardson and Steve Erskine went missing in an avalanche on Huascarán on June 24, 2002. Climbers found Stampfl's body just weeks agoThu, 11 Jul 2024 21:19:03 +0000Astronomers Spot Rare, Mid-Sized Black Hole in Our Galaxyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-spot-rare-mid-sized-black-hole-in-our-galaxy-180984689/The black hole, if confirmed, is in the star cluster Omega Centauri, about 17,700 light-years away, and it could hold lessons about how such structures are formedThu, 11 Jul 2024 20:35:28 +0000Pop Music Melodies Have Gotten Simpler Over Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pop-music-melodies-have-gotten-simpler-over-time-180984695/A new analysis of Billboard hits from 1950 to 2023 finds that melodic complexity has been steadily decreasingThu, 11 Jul 2024 20:30:03 +0000Gut Microbes Could Help Diagnose Autism, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gut-microbes-could-help-diagnose-autism-study-suggests-180984681/While more research is needed, scientists detected specific differences between the gut microbiomes of children with and without autismThu, 11 Jul 2024 18:31:01 +0000Singapore Approves 16 Insect Species for Human Consumptionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/singapore-approves-16-insect-species-as-food-180984685/The move comes amid broader efforts to improve food security and diversify food sourcesThu, 11 Jul 2024 17:35:54 +0000This Nearby Exoplanet Is Hot, Dangerous—and Smells Like Rotten Eggshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-nearby-exoplanet-is-hot-dangerous-and-smells-like-rotten-eggs-180984673/Located about 64 light-years away from Earth, the world is the first place astronomers have detected hydrogen sulfide outside our solar systemWed, 10 Jul 2024 21:20:13 +0000Wreck of Shackleton's 'Endurance' Gets New Protectionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-endurance-shipwreck-gets-new-protections-amid-warming-antarctic-waters-180984683/The vessel will be preserved beneath Antarctic waters inside a sprawling restricted zoneWed, 10 Jul 2024 20:59:21 +0000Meet the Rare, 'Beautiful' Birds That Thrive in Snow and Are at Risk Because of Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-rare-beautiful-birds-that-thrive-in-snow-and-are-at-risk-because-of-climate-change-180984684/The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Mount Rainier white-tailed ptarmigan as threatened under the Endangered Species Act this monthWed, 10 Jul 2024 20:11:07 +0000Fabled Sword From Medieval French Folklore Disappearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fabled-sword-from-medieval-french-folklore-disappears-180984682/Known as the "French Excalibur," the blade is said to have hung from a rock face in the village of Rocamadour for 1,300 yearsWed, 10 Jul 2024 19:19:02 +0000New Bionic Leg and Surgical Procedure Allow People to Walk With More Control After Amputationshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-bionic-leg-and-surgical-procedure-allow-people-to-walk-with-more-control-after-amputations-180984675/The experimental surgery connects two muscles in the legs of people with below-the-knee amputations, allowing them to control a prosthetic limb with their brainWed, 10 Jul 2024 18:52:03 +0000Archaeologists May Have Found Home Built by One of New England’s First Black Property Ownershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-find-homestead-belonging-to-one-of-new-englands-first-black-property-owners-180984679/Pompey Mansfield was an enslaved man who won his freedom, purchased land, constructed a house and became a prominent community leaderWed, 10 Jul 2024 16:41:07 +0000Ancient DNA Unravels the Mysteries of the Dingo, Australia's Wild Doghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-dna-unravels-the-mysteries-of-the-dingo-australias-wild-dog-180984674/Researchers dove into thousands of years of evolutionary history, revealing new insights about the iconic, though sometimes vilified, caninesTue, 09 Jul 2024 21:17:20 +0000Archaeologists Stumble Upon Marble Statue of Greek God in Ancient Sewerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-stumble-upon-marble-statue-of-greek-god-in-ancient-sewer-180984678/The 2,000-year-old statue, which likely depicts Hermes, is a monumental discovery for BulgariaTue, 09 Jul 2024 21:01:14 +0000Sticks Discovered in Australian Cave Shed New Light on an Aboriginal Ritual Passed Down for 12,000 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sticks-discovered-in-australian-cave-shed-new-light-on-an-aboriginal-ritual-passed-down-for-12000-years-180984642/Both Western analyses and traditional Aboriginal knowledge helped the research team learn about a cultural practice dating to the last ice ageTue, 09 Jul 2024 18:06:45 +0000Napoleon's Elaborately Decorated Pistols Sell for $1.8 Million at Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pistols-that-belonged-to-napoleon-sell-at-auction-180984668/The French government has declared the artifacts national treasures, which means they can only leave the country temporarilyTue, 09 Jul 2024 17:17:22 +0000Gravitational Wave Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Analog Computerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gravitational-wave-scientists-are-unraveling-the-mysteries-of-the-worlds-oldest-analog-computer-180984670/A new study challenges a core assumption about the Antikythera mechanism, a 2,000-year-old device that inspired the latest "Indiana Jones" filmTue, 09 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000Travel Through Barbieland at London's Design Museumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/barbieland-takes-over-londons-design-museum-180984664/A new exhibition traces the evolution of one of the world's most famous dolls over six decadesMon, 08 Jul 2024 20:12:43 +0000Did the Extinction of the Dinosaurs Pave the Way for Grapes?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-the-extinction-of-the-dinosaurs-pave-the-way-for-grapes-180984666/Newly discovered fossils in South America hint at the evolution and proliferation of grapes around the worldMon, 08 Jul 2024 19:17:06 +0000General Motors to Pay $146 Million For Excess Emissionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/general-motors-to-pay-146-million-for-excess-emissions-180984667/Almost six million vehicles were emitting over 10 percent more carbon dioxide on average than compliance reports said they wereMon, 08 Jul 2024 18:30:27 +0000You Can Buy Four Drawings by a Young Queen Victoriahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-drawings-from-a-young-queen-victoria-are-up-for-sale-180984645/The sketches, which are heading to auction this week, showcase the teenage royal's devotion to the artsMon, 08 Jul 2024 16:19:25 +0000Taylor Swift Is in Her Museum Erahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/taylor-swift-is-in-her-museum-era-180984663/The singer's costumes and memorabilia are the subject of an upcoming exhibition at London's V&A MuseumMon, 08 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000Aphra Behn, the First Englishwoman to Earn a Living With Her Writing, Is Finally Getting Her Duehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/aphra-behn-the-first-englishwoman-to-earn-a-living-with-her-writing-is-finally-getting-her-due-180984662/A year-long event series aims to champion the pioneering 17th-century writer's legacyFri, 05 Jul 2024 19:45:43 +0000Indonesian Cave Painting Is Oldest-Known Visual Storytellinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indonesian-cave-painting-is-oldest-known-visual-storytelling-180984660/The depiction of three human-like figures interacting with a pig dates to 51,200 years agoFri, 05 Jul 2024 17:53:55 +0000See Ten Awe-Inspiring Images From the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ten-awe-inspiring-images-from-the-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-contest-180984651/Auroras, nebulas and stars take the spotlight in this space-themed competition, alongside shots of our own sun and moonFri, 05 Jul 2024 15:00:00 +0000Before the Dinosaurs, This Massive Salamander-Like Predator Ruled Earth’s Swampshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-dinosaurs-this-massive-salamander-like-predator-ruled-earths-swamps-180984658/Fossils unearthed in present-day Namibia tell an intriguing story of tetrapod evolutionFri, 05 Jul 2024 14:20:47 +0000An Excavation in Wales Paints a Picture of Home Life 3,500 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-excavation-in-wales-paints-a-picture-of-bronze-age-homelife-3500-years-ago-180984617/Archaeologists have enlisted volunteers to dig up the remains of a Bronze Age roundhouse found beneath a parkFri, 05 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000Alaska's Juneau Icefield Is Melting at an 'Incredibly Worrying' 50,000 Gallons per Second, Researchers Findhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alaskas-juneau-icefield-is-melting-at-an-incredibly-worrying-50000-gallons-per-second-researchers-find-180984650/Between 2010 and 2020, the icefield lost 1.4 cubic miles of ice each year, according to a new studyWed, 03 Jul 2024 21:16:08 +0000Carpenter Ants Perform Life-Saving Amputations to Treat Leg Injurieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/carpenter-ants-perform-life-saving-amputations-to-treat-leg-injuries-180984653/A new study provides the first evidence of non-human animals performing amputations on others to improve their odds of survivalWed, 03 Jul 2024 19:52:17 +0000Amateur Historians Unearth a Long-Lost Tudor Palace Visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth Ihttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/amateur-historians-unearth-a-long-lost-tudor-palace-visited-by-henry-viii-and-elizabeth-i-180984655/Locals had long shared stories of Collyweston Palace. Then, excavations in England's Midlands revealed traces of the fabled estateWed, 03 Jul 2024 19:40:00 +0000How Deep-Sea Comb Jellies Hold Their Shape Under Crushing Pressurehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-deep-sea-comb-jellies-hold-their-shape-under-crushing-pressure-180984644/The delicate sea creatures fall apart when brought to the surface but can survive miles deep in the ocean due to special cell wall structures, according to a new studyWed, 03 Jul 2024 17:42:58 +0000Theodore Roosevelt's Long-Lost Pocket Watch Surfaces at a Florida Auction Househttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/theodore-roosevelts-long-lost-pocket-watch-surfaces-at-a-florida-auction-house-180984649/Thieves stole the timepiece, a gift from the president's sister, from an unlocked display case in 1987Wed, 03 Jul 2024 17:37:43 +0000Banksy Takes Credit For an Inflatable Migrant Raft That Floated Across a Glastonbury Crowdhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/banksy-takes-credit-for-an-inflatable-migrant-raft-that-floated-across-a-glastonbury-crowd-180984648/The street artist's latest stunt is thought to be a criticism of the U.K.'s immigration policiesTue, 02 Jul 2024 21:25:09 +0000Charlotte the 'Pregnant Virgin' Stingray Dies After Diagnosis of Reproductive Diseasehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/charlotte-the-pregnant-virgin-stingray-dies-after-diagnosis-of-reproductive-disease-180984643/The animal drew attention earlier this year for becoming pregnant despite having no male ray in her tankTue, 02 Jul 2024 19:45:34 +0000NASA Will Pay SpaceX Up to $843 Million to Destroy the International Space Stationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-will-pay-spacex-up-to-843-million-to-destroy-the-international-space-station-180984634/After the end of this decade, the company will guide the aging laboratory into the Pacific Ocean, where many retired spacecrafts have been depositedTue, 02 Jul 2024 18:40:58 +0000How Researchers Solved the Mystery of This 2,000-Year-Old Shipwreckhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-almonds-helped-solve-the-mystery-if-this-shipwreck-180984624/A new analysis of nuts, timber and other items found onboard the Kyrenia shipwreck is shedding new light on the vessel's timelineTue, 02 Jul 2024 18:07:54 +0000Trove of Tombs Sheds Light on How Ancient Egyptian Families Lived—and Diedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trove-of-tombs-sheds-light-on-how-ancient-egyptian-families-lived-and-died-180984637/The finds include mummies from many social classes, some of whom were buried alongside relatives after succumbing to diseaseTue, 02 Jul 2024 15:04:17 +0000Two Pandas Arrive at the San Diego Zoo, the First to Enter the U.S. in 21 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-pandas-arrive-at-the-san-diego-zoo-the-first-to-enter-the-us-in-21-years-180984636/For months, the only pandas in the country had been in Atlanta. Next, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., are expected to also receive pandas this yearMon, 01 Jul 2024 20:12:52 +0000The Smithsonian Acquires the Earliest Known Photograph of an American First Ladyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-smithsonian-acquires-the-earliest-known-photograph-of-an-american-first-lady-180984639/The National Portrait Gallery purchased an 1846 daguerreotype of Dolley Madison for $456,000Mon, 01 Jul 2024 19:41:45 +0000Artist Marina Abramović Silences Glastonbury Crowd for Seven Minuteshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artist-marina-abramovic-silences-glastonbury-crowd-for-seven-minutes-180984638/The typically boisterous crowd went quiet for a collective peace protestMon, 01 Jul 2024 18:38:26 +0000Earth's Inner Core May Be Slowing Its Spin, Another Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earths-inner-core-may-be-slowing-its-spin-another-study-suggests-180984622/New research adds evidence to the controversial idea that the hot, solid ball at the center of our planet has been reducing its speed for years as part of an oscillating cycleMon, 01 Jul 2024 18:29:04 +0000Leftover Ramen Broth Is Causing Problems on South Korea's Mount Hallahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leftover-ramen-broth-is-causing-problems-on-south-koreas-mount-hall-180984633/Visitors are dumping the salty liquid on the ground, and authorities are concerned about its impact on plants and animalsMon, 01 Jul 2024 14:01:04 +0000Volcanic Ash Preserved Trilobite Fossils in Surprising Detail at 'Prehistoric Pompeii'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/volcanic-ash-preserved-trilobite-fossils-in-surprising-detail-at-prehistoric-pompeii-180984629/The specimens date to more than 500 million years ago and provide new insights into trilobite anatomy, revealing previously unseen featuresFri, 28 Jun 2024 21:26:23 +0000What Killed the Last Woolly Mammoths? Scientists Say It Wasn't Inbreedinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-killed-the-last-woolly-mammoths-scientists-say-it-wasnt-inbreeding-180984632/New research suggests some catastrophic event—such as a natural disaster or a virus—killed the world's last known population of mammoths on Wrangel IslandFri, 28 Jun 2024 19:09:00 +0000Is There a Viking Ship Burial Underneath This Norwegian Farm?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-there-a-viking-ship-burial-underneath-this-norwegian-farm-180984631/Archaeologists have uncovered around 70 iron rivets that may have once held together a boat belonging to a kingFri, 28 Jun 2024 18:07:47 +0000ISS Astronauts Forced to Briefly Take Shelter as Russian Satellite Suddenly Breaks Up in Orbithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iss-astronauts-forced-to-briefly-take-shelter-as-russian-satellite-suddenly-breaks-up-in-orbit-180984626/Officials are unsure why the satellite fractured unexpectedly, splintering into nearly 200 piecesFri, 28 Jun 2024 18:06:53 +0000New Blood Test for Predicting Parkinson's Disease With A.I. Shows Promise, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-blood-test-for-predicting-parkinsons-disease-with-ai-shows-promise-study-suggests-180984574/In preliminary research, scientists identified eight protein anomalies in the blood of patients with Parkinson's, which they say can help diagnose the disease up to seven years before symptoms appearFri, 28 Jun 2024 16:44:12 +0000Ancient Egyptian Scribes Were Worked to the Bonehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-scribes-were-worked-to-the-bone-180984628/The administrators spent long periods writing in odd postures, which damaged their joints, researchers discoveredFri, 28 Jun 2024 16:31:36 +0000A Woman Thrifted This Ancient Maya Vase for $3.99—and Then Gave It Back to Mexicohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/woman-thrifted-this-ancient-maya-vase-180984618/Anna Lee Dozier started to wonder about the object's origins when she realized it resembled artifacts in a Mexican museumFri, 28 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000The Island Known as the Birthplace of Apollo Is Sinkinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-birthplace-of-apollo-is-sinking-180984610/Researchers say climate change is to blame for the Greek island of Delos' slow demiseFri, 28 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000Neanderthal Child May Have Had Down Syndrome, Fossil Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthal-child-may-have-had-down-syndrome-fossil-suggests-180984619/The child's survival until at least 6 years old could be evidence of collaborative caregiving in Neanderthal societies, according to a new paperThu, 27 Jun 2024 21:14:53 +0000Tourist Carves His Name Into Ancient House in Pompeiihttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tourist-vandalized-this-ancient-house-in-pompeii-now-he-must-pay-for-the-damage-180984611/The man damaged a wall in the House of Ceii, a dwelling celebrated for its beautiful frescoesThu, 27 Jun 2024 20:48:49 +0000'Frog Saunas' May Be the Key to Saving Amphibians From a Deadly Fungal Infectionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/frog-saunas-may-be-the-key-to-saving-amphibians-from-a-deadly-fungal-infection-180984621/Providing frogs with sun-warmed bricks inside mini-greenhouses can help them recover from chytrid and make them more resilient against the disease in the future, a new study findsThu, 27 Jun 2024 19:51:05 +0000A Jewish Soldier Found in a German Mass Grave Has Been Reburied in an American Cemeteryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jewish-american-soldier-who-died-in-wwii-identified-after-80-years-in-german-mass-grave-180984614/Nathan Baskind received a Jewish burial exactly 80 years after his death in World War IIThu, 27 Jun 2024 19:15:02 +0000Researchers Make a Smiling Robotic Face From Living Skinhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-make-a-smiling-robotic-face-from-living-skin-180984613/The team designed a new way for their lab-grown skin to adhere to the robot's face, in a creation that could help produce soft robots or train plastic surgeonsThu, 27 Jun 2024 18:04:12 +0000Two Massive Asteroids Will Fly Past Earth This Week. Here's What to Knowhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-massive-asteroids-will-fly-past-earth-this-week-heres-what-to-know-180984616/Within 42 hours of each other, the pair of large asteroids, which both have no chance of impacting our planet, will approach Earth as they orbit the sunThu, 27 Jun 2024 16:22:14 +0000Tasmania Is Hiring for a 'Wombat Walker' and Other Odd Jobshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tasmania-hiring-wombat-walker-and-other-odd-jobs-180984603/The Australian island state is trying to drum up tourism during the Southern Hemisphere's winterThu, 27 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000China Brings Samples From the Moon's Far Side to Earth in First-Ever Feathttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/china-brings-samples-from-the-moons-far-side-to-earth-in-first-ever-feat-180984609/The China National Space Administration retrieved more than four pounds of lunar soil samples, which scientists hope will shed light on the early history of Earth and the moonWed, 26 Jun 2024 20:40:40 +000016th-Century Skeletons of Children Infected With Smallpox Discovered in Peruhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-peruvian-indigenous-childrens-bones-were-infected-by-european-smallpox-archaeologists-find-180984573/The toddlers' remains were buried around the beginning of the Spanish conquest of South AmericaWed, 26 Jun 2024 20:16:23 +0000Curator Uncovers Lost Roman-Era Bust of the Emperor Caligulahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-accidentally-uncover-a-rare-long-lost-bust-of-emperor-caligula-180984601/The small bronze statue, which was unearthed at Herculaneum, had been missing for two centuriesWed, 26 Jun 2024 19:09:35 +0000Honeybees Can Sniff Out Lung Cancer, Scientists Suggesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/honeybees-can-sniff-out-lung-cancer-scientists-suggest-180984612/New research opens the door for doctors to one day use bees as a living diagnostic toolWed, 26 Jun 2024 19:03:39 +0000Extreme Wildfires Became Twice as Frequent and Intense in 20 Years, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/extreme-wildfires-became-twice-as-frequent-and-intense-in-20-years-study-finds-180984599/As measured by satellites, wildfires have markedly increased in boreal and temperate conifer forests, and rising nighttime temperatures allow flames to keep burning intensely after darkWed, 26 Jun 2024 17:54:03 +0000Was This Mysterious Woman a Medieval Warrior?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/was-this-mysterious-woman-a-medieval-warrior-180984605/Buried at a castle in Spain, the woman was found alongside the remains of 22 men who likely died on the battlefieldWed, 26 Jun 2024 10:30:00 +0000Jupiter's Signature Red Spot May Have Evolved More Than Oncehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jupiters-signature-red-spot-may-have-evolved-more-than-once-180984600/The planet's massive storm, known as the Great Red Spot, seems to be different from a spot first observed at roughly the same location in the 17th century, a new study findsTue, 25 Jun 2024 19:58:01 +0000The Judy Garland Museum Wants to Buy Dorothy's Ruby Slippershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-judy-garland-museum-wants-to-buy-dorothys-ruby-slippers-180984604/Officials hope to raise millions to bid on the shoes, which were missing for over a decade, at auction in DecemberTue, 25 Jun 2024 19:26:23 +0000These Stunning Butterflies Flew 2,600 Miles Across the Atlantic Ocean Without Stoppinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-stunning-butterflies-flew-2600-miles-across-the-atlantic-ocean-without-stopping-180984602/Researchers combined several lines of evidence to solve the mystery of why a group of painted ladies, which do not live in South America, were found fluttering on a beach in French GuianaTue, 25 Jun 2024 18:44:30 +0000You Can Now See Thousands of Pablo Picasso's Works in a New Online Archivehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thousands-of-pablo-picassos-works-are-now-online-180984597/The Picasso Museum in Paris has released a digital portal featuring the Spanish painter and sculptor's artTue, 25 Jun 2024 18:22:43 +0000This Rubens Painting Vanished During World War II. Now, It's Returning Home to a Castle in Germanyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rubens-painting-returning-to-castle-in-germany-180984592/"St. Gregory of Nazianzus," once part of the Baroque palace's collection, was stolen and sold at the end of the warTue, 25 Jun 2024 16:59:33 +0000Easter Island Did Not Collapse From Overuse of Resources After All, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/easter-island-did-not-collapse-from-overuse-of-resources-after-all-study-suggests-180984591/A new paper contradicts the idea that people used up the island's resources and experienced a significant population decline, instead proposing that a small society lived there sustainablyTue, 25 Jun 2024 16:56:47 +0000Chimpanzees May Self-Medicate With Plants, Using the Forest as a Pharmacyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chimpanzees-may-self-medicate-with-plants-using-the-forest-as-a-pharmacy-180984593/New research suggests sick chimps seek out and eat plants with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties—a finding that could advance drug discovery for humansMon, 24 Jun 2024 20:03:39 +0000At Coney Island's Mermaid Parade, Thousands Channel Aquatic Weirdnesshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-coney-islands-mermaid-parade-thousands-channel-aquatic-weirdness-180984595/Crowds decked out as fantastical sea creatures flocked to Brooklyn's amusement district for the summer kickoff eventMon, 24 Jun 2024 18:40:41 +0000Starliner Astronauts Will Remain on Space Station Until July Amid Technical Issueshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/starliner-astronauts-will-remain-on-space-station-until-july-amid-technical-issues-180984589/NASA and Boeing have delayed the crewed mission's return to Earth again, as engineers assess helium leaks and a thruster issue on the spacecraft's service moduleMon, 24 Jun 2024 18:35:33 +0000Why Are Some People Seemingly Immune to Covid-19? Scientists May Now Have an Answerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-are-some-people-seemingly-immune-to-covid-19-scientists-may-now-have-an-answer-180984581/Researchers tracked the immune responses of 16 people intentionally exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and pinpointed a gene that seems to help resist the virus before it can take holdMon, 24 Jun 2024 15:52:57 +0000Parkour Group Damages Building in the Historic Italian City of Materahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/parkour-group-damages-building-historic-italian-city-matera-180984588/Team Phat posted a video showing one of its members breaking a stone protruding from a wallMon, 24 Jun 2024 15:10:16 +0000Watch Blood-Sucking Leeches Leap From Leaves and Soar Through the Airhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-blood-sucking-leeches-leap-from-leaves-and-soar-through-the-air-180984585/New videos may help settle scientists' long-standing debate over whether leeches can jumpFri, 21 Jun 2024 19:56:55 +0000World's Oldest Deep-Sea Shipwreck Discovered a Mile Beneath the Mediterranean Seahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-oldest-deep-sea-shipwreck-discovered-a-mile-beneath-the-mediterranean-sea-180984584/Archaeologists recovered two amphorae from the 3,300-year-old wreck site, which sheds new light on ancient maritime navigationFri, 21 Jun 2024 19:38:34 +0000See 12 Captivating Bird Images From the Audubon Photography Awardshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-12-captivating-bird-images-from-the-audubon-photography-awards-180984562/In its 15th year, the contest showcases diverse avian species, their fascinating behaviors and the habitats needed to keep them aliveFri, 21 Jun 2024 19:06:54 +0000Mysterious Monolith Appears Outside of Las Vegashttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/police-discover-a-mysterious-monolith-outside-of-las-vegas-180984582/The reflective metal structure was found on a hiking trail in the Desert National Wildlife RefugeFri, 21 Jun 2024 19:02:12 +0000An Ancient Beach Buried by Mount Vesuvius' Eruption Is Now Open to the Publichttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-ancient-beach-buried-by-the-eruption-of-mount-vesuvius-is-now-open-to-the-public-180984580/In the seaside resort town of Herculaneum, the beach is the final resting place of more than 330 residents who tried to fleeFri, 21 Jun 2024 18:22:42 +0000This Rubens Masterpiece Was Significantly Altered by Another Artisthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rubens-masterpiece-was-significantly-altered-by-another-artist-180984570/Important details in "The Judgement of Paris" appear to have been changed several decades after the artist's deathFri, 21 Jun 2024 16:50:45 +0000