Cities
On This Day in 1899, a Car Fatally Struck a Pedestrian for the First Time in American History
Henry Hale Bliss' death presaged the battle between the 20th-century automobile lobby and walkers in U.S. cities
Bask in the Beauty of Brazil With These 15 Stunning Photographs
These selections from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest images capture this South American paradise
Phoenix Shatters Heat Record With 100 Consecutive Days Above 100 Degrees
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 1993
Can a City Known for Its Freeways and Gridlock Deliver a Car-Free Olympics? Los Angeles Thinks So
To make good on its promise, the 2028 host city is in a four-year sprint to ready its public transportation for the onslaught of athletes, coaches and spectators
Invasive 'ManhattAnts' Are Taking Over New York City and Spreading Quickly
Since appearing on Manhattan in 2011, the species has become one of the island's most dominant ants, and scientists formally identified it this year
See the Historic Ruins Hidden Inside Everyday Buildings in Athens
Houses and businesses across the Greek capital incorporate—or obscure—structures spanning the city’s ancient, Byzantine, medieval and Ottoman eras
When Do Kids Go Back to School? It Depends on Where They Live
In some districts, students returned to their classrooms weeks before Labor Day
Chicago Building Where Nearly 1,000 Birds Died in One Night Last Fall Installs Bird-Safe Window Film
The glass-covered lakefront convention center has long been known among wildlife advocacy groups as a site of mass casualties for migratory birds
The Real Story Behind the Baltimore Deaths That Inspired 'Lady in the Lake'
A new mini-series offers a fictionalized take on two unrelated 1969 cases: the mysterious disappearance of bartender Shirley Lee Parker and the murder of 11-year-old Esther Lebowitz
Mexico City's Reservoirs Are at Risk of Running Out of Water
Amid climate change, drought and aging infrastructure, the largest metropolitan area in North America is struggling to conserve water in a major reservoir system
Through Newly Installed 'Portals,' New Yorkers and Dubliners Can Wave, Dance and Inappropriately Gesture to Each Other in Real Time
New art installations connect the two cities through continuous silent video feeds
What Flaco the Owl’s Death Teaches Us About Making Cities Safer for Birds
Ornithologists and conservationists say humans can take key steps to make urban environments less hazardous for our avian friends
Las Vegas Is Going All In on Its Water Conservation Plan
As the Southwest dries, can a city notorious for excess find a way to survive with less?
Joro Spiders, Spreading in the Southeast, Can Survive Surprisingly Well in Cities
Unlike most spiders, the hustle and bustle of urban areas doesn’t seem to disturb the non-native Joros, a new study finds
These Photos Capture Every First and Last Subway Stop in New York City
Photographer Rita Nannini traveled across 665 miles of track and snapped some 8,000 images
Iowa Museum Plans to Tear Down Acclaimed Land Art Installation
Known as the country's first urban wetland project, "Greenwood Pond" has been declared "no longer salvageable" due to financial constraints and structural decay
Archaeologists Discover Ancient Cities Hidden in the Ecuadorean Amazon
Laser imaging has revealed an extensive network of settlements and roads that challenge historical understandings of the area
Public Libraries Reveal the Most Borrowed Books From 2023
Titles that appeared on multiple lists include "Lessons in Chemistry," "Spare" and "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow"
When a Labyrinth of Pneumatic Tubes Shuttled Mail Beneath the Streets of New York City
Powered by compressed air, the system transported millions of letters between 1897 and 1953
Meet a Dozen Lesser-Known Christmas Characters, From Mr. Jingeling to Uncle Mistletoe
Created as department store marketing tools, many of these seasonal figures became beloved holiday traditions
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