Smart News | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smart-news/RSS feed for Smart NewsenThu, 05 Sep 2024 20:18:45 +0000Paris Mayor Wants to Keep the Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Towerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paris-mayor-wants-to-keep-the-olympic-rings-on-the-eiffel-tower-180985027/Critics worry that the symbol will tarnish the iconic structure's historic characterThu, 05 Sep 2024 20:18:45 +0000Humans Pollute the Environment With 57 Million Tons of Plastic Each Year, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-pollute-the-environment-with-57-million-tons-of-plastic-each-year-study-suggests-180985026/Scientists used A.I. to model local waste management in 50,000 municipalities worldwide and say the results suggest a need to improve access to waste collection systemsThu, 05 Sep 2024 20:00:50 +0000Phoenix Shatters Heat Record With 100 Consecutive Days Above 100 Degreeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/phoenix-shatters-heat-record-with-100-consecutive-days-above-100-degrees-180985028/Forecasts show no relief from the extreme heat over the next few weeks, which promises to extend the streak far beyond the previous high of 76 days set in 1993Thu, 05 Sep 2024 18:13:17 +0000You Can Stay at the Club Where the Beatles Played Some of Their Earliest Gigshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-stay-at-the-club-where-the-beatles-played-some-of-their-earliest-gigs-180985007/One-time Beatle Pete Best and his brother have turned the legendary Casbah Coffee Club into an AirbnbThu, 05 Sep 2024 18:06:55 +0000An Ancient Asteroid Smashed Into Jupiter's Moon Ganymede and Tipped It Over, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-ancient-asteroid-smashed-into-jupiters-moon-ganymede-and-tipped-it-over-study-finds-180985024/The cataclysmic impactor was 20 times the size of the rock that wiped out the dinosaurs on EarthThu, 05 Sep 2024 17:17:53 +0000Money Is Art in an Exhibition at Oxford's Ashmolean Museumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/money-is-art-in-an-exhibition-from-oxfords-ashmolean-museum-180984977/"Money Talks" features currency from around the world spanning thousands of years—from ancient coins and historic banknotes to contemporary NFTsThu, 05 Sep 2024 16:53:49 +0000An Asteroid Hit Earth's Atmosphere Today—Here's Why Astronomers Say That's a Good Thinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-asteroid-hit-earths-atmosphere-today-heres-why-astronomers-say-thats-a-good-thing-180985020/Asteroid 2024 RW1 was discovered early this morning, marking the ninth time in history that humans have detected an approaching space rock before its impactWed, 04 Sep 2024 20:53:06 +0000Workers Uncover an Underground Chamber Sealed for More Than a Century Near the National Mallhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-uncover-an-underground-chamber-sealed-for-more-than-a-century-near-the-national-mall-180985018/The dry cistern was discovered by construction crews working on the Smithsonian Castle’s renovationWed, 04 Sep 2024 19:51:55 +0000Scientists Solve a 'Murder Mystery' After a Pregnant, Tagged Shark Got Eatenhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-solve-a-murder-mystery-after-a-pregnant-tagged-shark-got-eaten-180985019/It's rare for apex predators to become prey, but researchers suggest they've documented the first known case of a porbeagle shark getting consumed by another animalWed, 04 Sep 2024 19:03:29 +0000A Viking-Era Vessel Found in Scotland a Decade Ago Turns Out to Be From Asiahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-viking-era-vessel-found-in-scotland-a-decade-ago-turns-out-to-be-from-asia-180985021/Experts used X-ray technology to link the artifact—part of the famous Galloway Hoard—to an Iranian silver mineWed, 04 Sep 2024 17:58:37 +0000Missing for Four Decades, This Unusual Double Portrait of Rubens and van Dyck Has Finally Resurfacedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/missing-for-four-decades-this-unusual-double-portrait-of-rubens-and-van-dyck-has-finally-resurfaced-180985015/The 17th-century painting, stolen in a 1979 heist, turned up at an auction in France in 2020. It recently returned home to Chatsworth House in EnglandWed, 04 Sep 2024 14:14:01 +0000New Photographs Reveal Decay of the Titanic and Collapse of Its Iconic Railinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-photographs-reveal-decay-of-the-titanic-and-collapse-of-its-iconic-railing-180985011/An expedition this summer documented signs of deterioration on the wreck, but it also rediscovered the Diana of Versailles statue, the centerpiece of the ship’s first-class loungeTue, 03 Sep 2024 20:57:50 +0000Miners Unearth a Mummified Woolly Rhino in Siberia, With an Intact Horn and Soft Tissuehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/miners-unearth-a-mummified-woolly-rhino-in-siberia-with-an-intact-horn-and-soft-tissue-180984982/The rare discovery will help scientists find out more about the prehistoric animal’s development, diet and living conditionsTue, 03 Sep 2024 19:06:33 +0000Archaeologists in Iceland Can't Agree Which Animal This Mysterious Viking-Era Toy Depictshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-iceland-cant-agree-which-animal-this-mysterious-viking-era-toy-depicts-180985009/The tenth-century stone figurine, alternatively identified as a pig, a bear or a dog, sheds light on the lives of long-ago Norse childrenTue, 03 Sep 2024 19:04:48 +0000This Decorated Samurai Sword Found in Rubble Beneath Berlin May Have Been a Diplomatic Gifthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-decorated-samurai-sword-found-in-rubble-beneath-berlin-may-have-been-a-diplomatic-gift-180985010/The short blade’s hilt was made in Edo Japan, and its journey to a German cellar destroyed during World War II is a mysteryTue, 03 Sep 2024 16:42:43 +0000Experts Discover 1,700 Ancient Viruses in a Tibetan Glacierhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-discover-1700-ancient-viruses-in-a-tibetan-glacier-180985005/Studying how the viruses, which do not infect humans, adapted to previous major temperature shifts could hold clues to how modern viruses will react to the current climate changeTue, 03 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000A Dolphin Keeps Biting People in Japan. Researchers Think It's Just Lonelyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-dolphin-keeps-biting-people-in-japan-researchers-think-its-just-lonely-180985003/A series of dolphin attacks in Wakasa Bay is believed to be the doing of a lone male bottlenose dolphin looking for friends or a mate—but finding only humansFri, 30 Aug 2024 19:59:11 +0000London Unveils Design for the City's First Memorial to Victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Tradehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/london-unveils-design-for-the-citys-first-memorial-to-victims-of-the-trans-atlantic-slave-trade-180985006/The towering bronze sculpture by Khaleb Brooks will be installed at West India Quay in 2026Fri, 30 Aug 2024 19:48:33 +0000Scientists Identify the Gene Behind Thorny Roses and Other Prickly Plantshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-the-gene-behind-thorny-roses-and-other-prickly-plants-180985004/A recent study could pave the way to cultivating various thornless plants, making them easier to grow and potentially more widely availableFri, 30 Aug 2024 18:38:19 +0000Workers Find Mysterious Letter Hidden Inside a Concrete Column at London's National Galleryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-find-mysterious-letter-hidden-inside-a-concrete-column-at-londons-national-gallery-180984990/John Sainsbury hoped the note would be found when the "unnecessary columns" were finally demolishedFri, 30 Aug 2024 18:37:03 +0000'Matching' Dinosaur Footprints Discovered in Africa and South Americahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/matching-dinosaur-footprints-discovered-in-africa-and-south-america-180984997/The fossils show how dinosaurs may have crossed between landmasses around 120 million years ago, when the continents were still connectedFri, 30 Aug 2024 16:00:39 +0000This 4-Year-Old Shattered a Bronze Age Jar. Now, He'll Get to See How Experts Restored Ithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-4-year-old-shattered-a-bronze-age-jar-now-hell-get-to-see-how-experts-restored-it-180984999/The 3,500-year-old artifact had been on view at an Israeli museum, which wants to use the mishap as a teaching opportunityFri, 30 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000Fossils Capturing a Sea Cow's Violent End Shed Light on Prehistoric Food Chainshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fossils-capturing-a-sea-cows-violent-end-shed-light-on-prehistoric-food-chains-180984993/New research suggests the dugong-like sea creature was attacked by a crocodile, then its remains were scavenged by a tiger shark—a rare series of events to be immortalized in the fossil recordThu, 29 Aug 2024 21:10:03 +0000These Signed Salvador Dalí Prints Were Forgotten in a Garage for Half a Centuryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-signed-salvador-dali-prints-were-forgotten-in-a-garage-for-half-a-century-180984994/The ten lithographs by Dalí, along with another five by Théo Tobiasse, will go to auction next monthThu, 29 Aug 2024 19:55:38 +0000Feeling Sticky This Summer? 'Corn Sweat' Could Be Raising the Humidityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/feeling-sticky-this-summer-corn-sweat-could-be-raising-the-humidity-180984995/The natural process of plant evapotranspiration is pumping moisture into an already hot and humid atmosphere, especially in the corn-growing areas of the MidwestThu, 29 Aug 2024 19:23:53 +0000Museum Settles With Heirs of Jewish Couple Who Sold a 16th-Century Painting as They Fled the Nazishttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/museum-settles-with-heirs-of-jewish-couple-who-sold-a-16th-century-painting-as-they-fled-the-nazis-180984981/A Pennsylvania museum will auction the portrait—and split the proceeds with the descendants of Henry and Hertha BrombergThu, 29 Aug 2024 18:08:21 +0000Hebrew Bible From Medieval Spain Could Sell for $7 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hebrew-bible-from-medieval-spain-could-sell-for-7-million-180984974/After years of painstaking work, Rabbi Shem Tov Ibn Gaon finished the illustrated manuscript in 1312Thu, 29 Aug 2024 17:23:18 +0000How to See the Milky Way This Weekendhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-see-the-milky-way-this-weekend-180984991/Late August is a great time to observe the dazzling core of our galaxy, and with the upcoming new moon, viewing conditions should be ideal—as long as you're in a very dark areaThu, 29 Aug 2024 15:28:00 +0000After the Titanic Sank, Families and Friends of People on the Ship Anxiously Waited to See Who Survived and Who Perishedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-the-titanic-sank-families-and-friends-of-people-on-the-ship-anxiously-waited-to-see-who-survived-and-who-perished-180984989/A newspaper detailing the accounts of loved ones, published on April 20, 1912, was recently discovered in a wardrobe and sold at auctionWed, 28 Aug 2024 22:17:16 +0000Colossal Stone Monument Built 1,000 Years Before Stonehenge Shows Neolithic Engineers Understood Sciencehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/colossal-stone-monument-build-1000-years-before-stonehenge-shows-neolithic-engineers-understood-science-180984975/A recent study of the Menga dolmen in Spain reveals complex construction techniques used roughly 6,000 years agoWed, 28 Aug 2024 20:55:11 +0000New Hampshire Resident Dies From Rare but Serious Mosquito-Borne Illnesshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-hampshire-resident-dies-from-rare-but-serious-mosquito-borne-illness-180984984/It's one of four cases of Eastern equine encephalitis reported in the U.S. so far this year—and the state's first since 2014Wed, 28 Aug 2024 19:20:30 +0000This Massive Egyptian Observatory Is Unlocking Celestial Secrets of an Ancient Culturehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-massive-egyptian-observatory-is-unlocking-celestial-secrets-of-an-ancient-culture-180984985/The 2,500-year-old building with roots in both science and religion helped track the movement of the sun and starsWed, 28 Aug 2024 18:38:42 +0000Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Warship's Bronze Battering Ram, Sunk During an Epic Battle Between Rome and Carthagehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-ancient-warships-bronze-battering-ram-sunk-during-epic-battle-between-rome-and-carthage-180984983/Found near the Aegadian Islands, just west of Sicily, the bronze rostrum played a role in the last battle of the First Punic War, which ended in 241 B.C.E.Wed, 28 Aug 2024 17:57:34 +0000See Hundreds of Sea Lions Take Over a Popular California Beachhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-hundreds-of-sea-lions-take-over-a-popular-california-beach-180984986/The pinnipeds are resting on San Carlos Beach as part of their annual northward journey from the Channel Islands, prompting officials to close it downWed, 28 Aug 2024 17:49:02 +000020,000-Year-Old Columbian Mammoth Bones Discovered in Texashttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/columbian-mammoth-bones-discovered-texas-180984979/While fishing at an undisclosed lake, Sabrina Solomon slipped and fell—and came face to face with the remainsWed, 28 Aug 2024 14:21:06 +0000See a Mysterious Postcard That Was Delivered 121 Years Latehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-mysterious-postcard-that-was-delivered-121-years-late-180984976/The handwritten note, which bears a 1903 postmark, recently arrived at a building society in WalesWed, 28 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000Leonardo da Vinci Studied the Science of Smellhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leonardo-da-vinci-studied-the-science-of-smell-180984978/The artist experimented with perfumes and created his own fragrances from flowers and fruitTue, 27 Aug 2024 20:57:45 +0000Drawing of the Bastille Cherished by George Washington Goes to Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/drawing-of-the-bastille-cherished-by-george-washington-goes-to-auction-180984969/The artwork was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette, who also included the fortress' keyTue, 27 Aug 2024 17:45:00 +0000What Are the Best Policies for Reducing Carbon Emissions? A New Study Has Some Answershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/study-identifies-best-policies-for-reducing-carbon-emissions-180984980/An analysis of policies implemented between 1998 and 2022 found that just 63 were successfulTue, 27 Aug 2024 17:43:54 +0000Our Moon Was Likely Covered in a Magma Ocean Long Ago, and New Data From India's Lunar Rover Supports That Theoryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/our-moon-was-likely-covered-in-a-magma-ocean-long-ago-and-new-data-from-indias-lunar-rover-supports-that-theory-180984963/Soil composition measurements from the Chandrayaan-3 mission reveal white rock called ferroan anorthosite, which would have floated to the surface in an ocean of magmaTue, 27 Aug 2024 15:26:34 +0000Washingtonians Love to Hate Brutalist Architecture. But What If We Could Fix It?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/washingtonians-love-to-hate-brutalist-architecture-but-what-if-we-could-fix-it-180984968/An exhibition at the National Building Museum investigates the history and future of the much-maligned architectural styleTue, 27 Aug 2024 13:58:11 +0000These 'Lost' Bird Species Haven't Been Seen in at Least a Decade—and Scientists Want Help Finding Themhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-lost-bird-species-havent-been-seen-in-at-least-a-decade-and-scientists-want-help-finding-them-180984972/Some of the 126 species on their list haven’t been photographed or recorded in more than centuryMon, 26 Aug 2024 20:08:33 +0000William Blake's Cottage Will Be Saved—and Transformed Into a New Museumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/william-blakes-cottage-will-be-saved-and-transformed-into-a-new-museum-180984960/The 18th-century poet wrote some of his most renowned works in the house in southern England, which has since fallen into disrepairMon, 26 Aug 2024 19:57:16 +0000NASA's Starliner Astronauts Will Return on SpaceX Craft in February, Turning an Eight-Day Mission Into Eight Months on the ISShttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-starliner-astronauts-will-return-on-spacex-craft-in-february-turning-an-eight-day-mission-into-eight-monthson-the-iss-180984971/Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft no longer meets safety standards after experiencing technical issues in June, and it will return to Earth uncrewed, the space agency announcedMon, 26 Aug 2024 18:53:01 +0000A New Exhibition in Amsterdam Explores the Holocaust Through Looted Objectshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-exhibition-in-amsterdam-explores-the-holocaust-through-nazi-looted-objects-180984948/"Looted" examines how the Nazis systematically plundered Jewish cultural items during World War IIMon, 26 Aug 2024 18:24:35 +0000Rare Endangered Lynx Spotted in Vermont for the First Time Since 2018https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-endangered-lynx-spotted-in-vermont-for-the-first-time-since-2018-180984970/The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has only confirmed seven sightings of the wildcats since 2016Mon, 26 Aug 2024 17:02:01 +0000Vandals Spray-Painted Graffiti on Historic Structures at Gettysburg National Military Parkhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vandals-spray-painted-graffiti-on-historic-structures-at-gettysburg-national-military-park-180984966/Police have identified a suspect, and preservationists have removed "all traces" of paintMon, 26 Aug 2024 16:20:41 +0000Groundbreaking Mission Attempting the First Private Astronaut Spacewalk Will Target Tuesday Launchhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-mission-attempting-the-first-private-astronaut-spacewalk-will-target-tuesday-launch-180984947/Polaris Dawn is set to be the farthest humans have traveled from Earth since the Apollo program and will test new technology in a "radiation belt" surrounding our planetFri, 23 Aug 2024 21:33:46 +0000Largest Diamond Since 1905 Unearthed by Miners in Botswanahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/largest-diamond-since-1905-unearthed-by-miners-in-botswana-180984962/Volcanic eruptions long ago brought the 2,492-carat diamond—the latest in a string of stunning discoveries over the last decade—to the surfaceFri, 23 Aug 2024 20:22:06 +0000Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper Is Heading to Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/frank-lloyd-wrights-only-skyscraper-is-heading-to-auction-180984964/Price Tower is one of three Oklahoma buildings designed by the renowned American architectFri, 23 Aug 2024 19:42:18 +0000Divers Can Now Explore Historic Shipwrecks in Lake Michigan More Easilyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/divers-can-now-explore-historic-shipwrecks-in-lake-michigan-more-easily-180984959/Crews installed buoys and mooring lines to mark the locations of 19 wreck sites in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine SanctuaryFri, 23 Aug 2024 19:01:52 +0000Sphen, Australian Penguin of Famous Same-Sex Couple, Dies at Age 11https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sphen-australian-penguin-of-famous-same-sex-coulple-dies-at-age-11-180984965/Sphen and his longtime partner Magic got together at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in 2018. They successfully hatched two foster chicks and became "international queer icons"Fri, 23 Aug 2024 18:29:24 +0000Statue of Civil Rights Leader John Lewis Replaces Confederate Monument in Georgiahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/statue-of-civil-rights-leader-john-lewis-replaces-confederate-monument-in-georgia-180984954/The 12-foot-tall bronze artwork depicts the former congressman with his hands over his heartFri, 23 Aug 2024 17:14:18 +0000Mysterious 'Wow!' Radio Signal Might Finally Have an Explanation—and No, It's Not Alienshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-wow-radio-signal-might-finally-have-an-explanation-and-no-its-not-aliens-180984956/The infamous signal recorded in 1977 might have been a laser-like beam of radiation from a hydrogen cloud energized by a powerful, magnetic star, preliminary research suggestsFri, 23 Aug 2024 16:59:13 +0000A 'Tornadic Waterspout' Likely Sank a Billionaire's Yacht Near Sicily. Here's What That Meanshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tornadic-waterspout-likely-sank-a-billionaires-yacht-near-sicily-heres-what-that-means-180984957/Scientists say the extreme weather phenomenon could grow more common as climate change brings warmer water temperatures and more intense storms to the MediterraneanThu, 22 Aug 2024 21:08:41 +0000Archaeology Student Discovers Trove of Silver Viking Age Armbands in Denmarkhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeology-student-discovers-trove-of-silver-viking-age-armbands-in-denmark-180984951/The bangles, which date to around 800 C.E., are now on display at the Moesgaard MuseumThu, 22 Aug 2024 20:42:50 +0000Scientists Suggest Freezing Endangered Animals' Cells and Preserving Them on the Moonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-suggest-freezing-endangered-animals-cells-and-preserving-them-on-the-moon-180984953/Shadowed areas in lunar craters may be cold enough to safeguard species' DNA amid "climate disasters and social disasters" on Earth, according to Smithsonian-led researchThu, 22 Aug 2024 19:54:29 +0000How Did Ice Age Humans Kill Huge Animals Like Mammoths? Probably Not by Throwing Spears, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-did-ice-age-humans-kill-huge-animals-like-mammoths-probably-not-by-throwing-spears-study-finds-180984958/New research theorizes that hunters used pikes planted in the ground—with their sharp tips pointing upward—to impale approaching wildlife using the creature's own weight and momentumThu, 22 Aug 2024 19:35:04 +0000A Roman Road Was Hiding Beneath a Primary School Playing Field in Englandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-roman-road-was-hiding-beneath-a-primary-school-playing-field-in-england-180984939/The 2,000-year-old cobbled pathway was likely built after the Romans invaded Britain in the first century C.E.Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:49:29 +0000Historic Theater Discovers 15th-Century Doorway That May Have Led to a Dressing Roomhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historic-theater-discovers-15th-century-doorway-that-may-have-led-to-a-dressing-room-180984945/Some experts speculate that Shakespeare could have used the room to change costume during performances in the late 16th centuryThu, 22 Aug 2024 17:54:29 +0000Two Ancient Wells Discovered in England Suggest Even the Romans Used Trial and Errorhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-ancient-wells-discovered-in-england-suggest-even-the-romans-used-trial-and-error-180984946/After the first well collapsed, the local builders incorporated wooden planks to hold up the walls of the secondWed, 21 Aug 2024 20:49:53 +0000British Government Places Export Ban on Alan Turing's World War II-Era Notebookshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/british-government-places-export-ban-on-alan-turings-world-war-ii-era-notebooks-180984941/The mathematician took careful notes while working on a portable voice encryption system in the mid-1940sWed, 21 Aug 2024 20:23:51 +0000For Decades, Switzerland Dumped Munitions Into Its Pristine Alpine Lakes. Now, It Wants Them Gonehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-decades-switzerland-dumped-munitions-into-its-pristine-alpine-lakes-now-it-wants-them-gone-180984944/Officials are offering cash rewards for the best strategies to safely remove the submerged weaponsWed, 21 Aug 2024 19:33:53 +0000Five-Foot-Long Ocean Sunfish Washes Ashore in Oregon, a 'Relatively Small' Size for Its Specieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/five-foot-long-ocean-sunfish-washes-ashore-in-oregon-a-relatively-small-size-for-its-species-180984949/It's the second sunfish to be found dead on the beach in a small region of northwestern Oregon this summer, following the discovery of an even rarer hoodwinker sunfishWed, 21 Aug 2024 19:26:15 +0000Germany Turns Former Nazi Bunker Into a Leisure Complexhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/germany-turns-former-nazi-bunker-into-a-leisure-complex-180984935/Built as an air raid shelter in the 1940s, the massive structure now houses a hotel, restaurants and a rooftop park with lush greeneryWed, 21 Aug 2024 18:10:24 +0000These Spiders Use Captured Fireflies as Flashing Lures to Snare More Preyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-spiders-use-captured-fireflies-as-flashing-lures-to-snare-more-prey-180984940/A new study suggests orb-weaver spiders manipulate trapped male fireflies to emit female-like signals, which in turn draws more males into the webWed, 21 Aug 2024 17:53:28 +0000Archaeologists May Have Identified the Bones of a Celebrated Ninth-Century Bishop in Spainhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-may-have-identified-the-bones-of-a-celebrated-ninth-century-bishop-in-spain-180984922/Bishop Teodomiro was a central figure in the creation of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimageTue, 20 Aug 2024 20:20:36 +0000Rare 'Doomsday' Oarfish Surfaces in California, Just the 20th Discovered in the State Since 1901https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-deep-sea-doomsday-fish-surfaces-in-california-just-the-20th-discovered-in-the-state-since-1901-180984942/Kayakers spotted and hauled ashore the 12-foot-long oarfish, a deep-sea species known for its connection to earthquakes in Japanese folkloreTue, 20 Aug 2024 19:13:09 +0000Dazzling Jewels Stolen in Green Vault Heist Go Back on Display in Dresdenhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dazzling-jewels-stolen-in-green-vault-heist-go-back-on-display-in-dresden-180984925/In the early morning hours of November 25, 2019, thieves made away with 4,300 valuable diamonds and other stonesTue, 20 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0000The World's Largest Animal Genome Belongs to an Odd, Air-Breathing Fishhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-largest-animal-genome-belongs-to-an-odd-air-breathing-fish-180984938/Scientists sequenced the 91 billion base pairs in the South American lungfish’s genome, setting a record and revealing insights into vertebrate evolutionTue, 20 Aug 2024 18:07:00 +0000Yayoi Kusama's Largest Permanent Public Sculpture Arrives in Londonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-reflective-sculpture-from-yayoi-kusama-arrives-at-a-tube-station-in-london-180984906/Stainless steel archways and reflective spheres stretch for more than 300 feet at Liverpool Street stationTue, 20 Aug 2024 13:57:13 +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 +0000