At the Smithsonian | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smithsonian-institution/RSS feed for At the SmithsonianenTue, 03 Sep 2024 15:15:08 +0000This Massive New Guidebook Will Forever Change the Way You Look at Treeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-massive-new-guidebook-will-forever-change-the-way-you-look-at-trees-180985008/Written by Smithsonian botanist W. John Kress, the book details more than 300 North American tree species in words, maps and photographs—and why we shouldn't take them for grantedTue, 03 Sep 2024 15:15:08 +0000How the Hirshhorn Museum Went From Iconoclast to Iconhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/hirshhorn-museum-building-went-from-iconoclast-icon-180984914/Celebrating 50 years of the modernist masterpiece that shocked critics—and helped turn Washington into an arts capitalThu, 29 Aug 2024 18:33:13 +0000After Nigerian Independence, One Renowned Artist Made Jesus a West African Savior in His Vibrant Workhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/after-nigerian-independence-one-renowned-artist-made-jesus-a-west-african-savior-in-his-vibrant-work-180984988/Painter and printmaker Bruce Onobrakpeya put forth a new vision of biblical figures for African Christians in the early post-colonial life of his countryThu, 29 Aug 2024 14:17:25 +0000What's the History of Hawaiian Grass Skirts? And More Questions From Our Readershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/whats-the-history-of-hawaiian-grass-skirts-and-more-questions-from-our-readers-180984919/You’ve got questions. We’ve got expertsTue, 27 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000‘Fearsome’ Saber-Toothed Cats Needed Their Baby Teeth and Mommies, Toohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/fearsome-saber-toothed-cats-needed-their-baby-teeth-and-mommies-too-180984937/According to new research, two sets of sabers and unusual lower jaw anatomy show that the saber-toothed cat Smilodon fatalis delayed adulting with a long weaning periodTue, 20 Aug 2024 17:09:25 +0000How a Blue SUV Named Stanley Revolutionized Driverless Car Technologyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-a-blue-suv-named-stanley-revolutionized-driverless-car-technology-180984882/Almost 20 years ago, a Volkswagen Touareg, now on view at the National Museum of American History, won a competition and led to the “birth moment” of self-driving carsTue, 13 Aug 2024 16:43:36 +0000How the Olympic Village Evolved From Makeshift Cabins to a City Within a Cityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-the-olympic-village-evolved-from-makeshift-cabins-to-a-city-within-a-city-180984852/The athletes' accommodations have come a long way in the last 100 years, expanding into modern global hubsThu, 08 Aug 2024 13:39:28 +0000Why Are Giant, Ancient Tropical Trees Dying?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-are-giant-ancient-tropical-trees-dying-180984812/Scientists from an international project are racing to figure out what kills these anchors of their ecosystems—before it's too late to save themFri, 02 Aug 2024 13:46:51 +0000Why the Eiffel Tower Has So Many Copycatshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-the-eiffel-tower-has-so-many-copycats-180984787/Replicas have popped up around the globe for decades, showcasing the design power and cultural significance of the world-famous French landmarkTue, 30 Jul 2024 17:11:19 +0000Tommie Smith’s Raised Fist at the 1968 Olympics Inspired a Massive Golden Sculpture That Signifies the Art of His Protesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/tommie-smiths-raised-fist-at-the-1968-olympics-inspired-a-massive-golden-sculpture-that-signifies-the-art-of-his-protest-180984775/At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, an installation by artist Glenn Kaino made in collaboration with Smith reclaims the Olympian’s iconic gestureFri, 26 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000Geologists Uncover Remnants of Earth’s Mantle That Have Lasted Over 2.5 Billion Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/geologists-uncover-remnants-of-earths-mantle-that-have-lasted-over-25-billion-years-180984761/New research suggests that a discrepancy in rocks shows they endured extreme heat, and reveals more about an ancient part of our planet’s historyWed, 24 Jul 2024 15:00:00 +0000Apollo Astronauts Left American Flags, Boots and Even Poop on the Moon. Here's Why These Artifacts Matterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/apollo-astronauts-left-american-flags-boots-and-even-poop-on-the-moon-heres-why-these-artifacts-matter-180984736/Fifty-five years after the first human lunar landing, scholars and experts are looking to preserve the past as more nations and companies undertake moon missionsFri, 19 Jul 2024 16:29:37 +0000How Golden Peacocks on a Dining Room Wall Destroyed a Longstanding Friendship in Victorian Societyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-golden-peacocks-on-a-dining-room-wall-destroyed-a-longstanding-friendship-in-victorian-society-180984735/Paintings, sketches and correspondence shed light on the drama surrounding the famed “Peacock Room”Fri, 19 Jul 2024 14:08:25 +0000Explore James Baldwin Alongside His Friends, His Contemporaries and the Queer Artists Inspired by His Writinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/explore-james-baldwin-alongside-his-friends-his-contemporaries-and-the-queer-artists-inspired-by-his-writing-180984700/A new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery honors the iconic writer while also celebrating the communities that influenced himMon, 15 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0000Here’s What We’ve Learned About Saturn Since Cassini Entered Its Orbit 20 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/heres-what-weve-learned-about-saturn-since-cassini-entered-its-orbit-20-years-ago-180984654/The Cassini-Huygens mission increased our understanding of the planet’s rings and moonsMon, 08 Jul 2024 15:46:07 +0000