https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smart-news/RSS feed for Smart NewsenTue, 17 Sep 2024 20:11:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ancient-egyptian-barracks-paint-a-vivid-picture-of-military-life-during-the-reign-of-Ramses-ii-180985082/Archaeologists unearthed a series of mudbrick rooms filled with religious tributes, soldiers' personal effects, engraved weaponry and animal bonesTue, 17 Sep 2024 20:11:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/deaths-from-antibiotic-resistant-infections-could-reach-39-million-by-2050-study-suggests-180985095/A new paper analyzes three decades of fatalities around the world and predicts how "superbugs" will affect human health in the futureTue, 17 Sep 2024 19:30:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-11-year-old-boy-rescued-a-mysterious-artwork-from-the-dump-it-turned-out-to-be-a-500-year-old-renaissance-print-180985074/Experts have confirmed that "Knight, Death and the Devil" is an engraving by the renowned German artist Albrecht DürerTue, 17 Sep 2024 16:55:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-sprawling-sculpture-at-the-center-of-the-national-world-war-i-memorial-has-been-unveiled-in-washington-dc-180985087/"A Soldier's Journey," a 58-foot-long bronze artwork depicting vivid scenes from the war, was illuminated for the first time at a ceremony on September 13Tue, 17 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-footage-of-a-thief-breaking-into-a-london-gallery-and-stealing-banksys-iconic-girl-with-balloon-180985084/Officials launched an investigation and recovered the $360,000 print less than a week after it vanished from Grove Gallery. Two men have been charged for the crimeMon, 16 Sep 2024 20:32:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-yellow-eyed-penguin-wins-new-zealands-bird-of-the-year-contest-180985081/The noisy-but-shy bird, known as the hoiho, has earned the most votes for a second time amid threats to its survivalMon, 16 Sep 2024 20:18:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/divers-discover-the-long-lost-wreckage-of-a-passenger-steamship-that-sank-in-a-hit-and-run-in-1856-180985071/"Le Lyonnais" descended into the depths off the coast of Massachusetts after colliding with the "Adriatic," a sailing vessel that left the floundering steamship to fend for itselfMon, 16 Sep 2024 20:01:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/no-longer-full-of-commuters-atlantas-old-subway-cars-are-now-filled-with-fish-180985085/Two Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority railcars were added to an artificial reef off the coast of Georgia to create more wildlife habitatMon, 16 Sep 2024 19:05:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-mysterious-seismic-signal-lasted-nine-days-last-year-it-was-a-mega-tsunami-caused-by-climate-change-researchers-say-180985073/A melting glacier caused a mountain in Greenland to collapse into a narrow fjord, setting off an oscillating wave that rattled seismic detectors around the worldMon, 16 Sep 2024 17:45:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-thief-replaced-this-iconic-churchill-portrait-with-a-fake-two-years-later-the-original-has-been-recovered-180985075/Investigators discovered that the original print of "The Roaring Lion" had been sold to a buyer in ItalyMon, 16 Sep 2024 17:03:15 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-remote-region-in-spain-could-pay-you-up-to-16000-to-move-there-180985062/Officials in Extremadura are hoping to attract digital nomads and tech workers in a bid to boost the region's shrinking populationMon, 16 Sep 2024 15:37:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/easter-islands-ancient-population-never-faced-ecological-collapse-suggests-another-study-180985069/New DNA analysis adds to growing research indicating the famous Pacific island did not collapse from overuse of resources before the arrival of EuropeansMon, 16 Sep 2024 13:57:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-see-a-stunning-supermoon-and-partial-lunar-eclipse-on-tuesday-180985078/September’s full moon delivers a rare trifecta for lunar enthusiasts: a supermoon, a partial eclipse and a harvest moonFri, 13 Sep 2024 20:37:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-forgotten-copy-of-the-constitution-discovered-in-a-filing-cabinet-could-sell-for-millions-180985060/The historic text, which bears the signature of Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson, was one of 100 copies ordered on September 28, 1787Fri, 13 Sep 2024 20:23:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-11-breathtaking-space-images-from-the-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-contest-180985072/From a solar eclipse to a dolphin-like nebula, these winning shots by astrophotographers from around the world depict the cosmos in sharp detailFri, 13 Sep 2024 19:26:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/basquiat-and-banksy-take-center-stage-at-the-hirshhorn-180985077/At an upcoming exhibition, the Smithsonian museum will display works by the two boundary-breaking artists for the first timeFri, 13 Sep 2024 19:24:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/frank-lloyd-wright-designed-his-first-prairie-style-house-when-he-was-26-now-its-for-sale-180985058/The young architect created the Winslow house for a couple living in a suburb of Chicago in 1893. The project would help launch his independent careerFri, 13 Sep 2024 17:07:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birds-form-surprising-relationships-with-other-avian-species-during-migration-study-suggests-180985059/New research indicates that birds are not alone while migrating—and sharing space with other species may even help them on the journeyFri, 13 Sep 2024 15:07:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/plans-to-modernize-notre-dames-stained-glass-windows-move-ahead-despite-heritage-experts-rejection-180985070/The French Ministry of Culture has selected eight finalists to design replacement windows for the celebrated cathedral—and not everyone is happyFri, 13 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-dna-reveals-neanderthal-group-was-isolated-for-50000-years-180985068/A new study, based on the remains of a Neanderthal nicknamed Thorin, is shaking up what archaeologists long thought about these early humans in EuropeThu, 12 Sep 2024 21:11:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronauts-achieve-first-ever-private-spacewalk-on-polaris-dawn-mission-180985066/This morning, tech billionaire Jared Isaacman opened the hatch on a SpaceX Dragon capsule in Earth orbit, as cheering erupted on a livestreamThu, 12 Sep 2024 19:30:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-from-the-ocean-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180985064/The winning and highly commended underwater photography spotlights breathtaking animal behavior, conservation needs and the otherworldly environment of Earth's oceansThu, 12 Sep 2024 18:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-celtic-helmet-is-the-oldest-ever-found-in-poland-180985065/Unearthed at the Łysa Góra archaeological site, the artifact, some 2,300 years old, is a prime example of Celtic metalworkingThu, 12 Sep 2024 17:46:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-map-lets-you-see-when-magnificent-fall-foliage-will-peak-in-your-area-180985047/Use the interactive tool's week-by-week, county-by-county predictions to start planning your leaf-peeping trips across the United StatesThu, 12 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-rare-footage-of-a-young-wombat-caught-on-a-wildlife-camera-in-australia-180985056/Just 400 northern hairy-nosed wombats remain in the wild, and conservationists say the new videos signal the critically endangered species’ breeding successWed, 11 Sep 2024 21:06:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-own-a-rare-nuclear-bunker-built-in-england-in-the-1950s-180985051/The underground hideout, which will go to auction this month, was designed to shelter three people for two weeks in the event of an attackWed, 11 Sep 2024 20:40:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-tiny-fish-check-themselves-out-in-a-mirror-before-deciding-whether-to-fight-180985061/New findings suggest bluestreak cleaner wrasse understand how their body size stacks up against a rivalWed, 11 Sep 2024 17:53:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/volunteer-discovers-1000-year-old-ring-on-the-last-day-of-an-excavation-in-scotland-180985053/The artifact likely belonged to the Picts, who occupied a large settlement in what is now the town of BurgheadWed, 11 Sep 2024 17:32:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/man-discovers-900-year-old-stone-carving-beneath-his-house-in-germany-180985043/The rare picture stone may depict Otto of Bamberg, the bishop who helped spread Christianity throughout the regionWed, 11 Sep 2024 15:05:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/william-wallace-braveheart-fame-defeated-english-battle-stirling-bridge-180985035/On September 11, 1297, the warrior vanquished the superior armies of Edward I, cementing his status as one of Scotland's most iconic heroesWed, 11 Sep 2024 09:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-eels-make-a-great-escape-from-a-fishs-stomach-after-being-swallowed-alive-180985055/For the first time, scientists witnessed Japanese eels free themselves from the stomach of a predatory fish in X-ray video footageTue, 10 Sep 2024 21:05:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-spot-nasas-solar-sail-demonstration-streaking-through-the-night-sky-180985052/Amateur astronomers can use NASA's mobile app to find the ACS3 for themselves—a reflective satellite that could appear as bright as the star SiriusTue, 10 Sep 2024 19:33:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/darth-vader-didnt-come-alive-until-james-earl-jones-gave-him-a-voice-180985054/The prolific American actor, who died on September 9, recorded his dialogue for the first "Star Wars" film in less than three hoursTue, 10 Sep 2024 18:57:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-museum-of-american-history-collects-mariska-hargitays-costume-from-law-order-svu-180985049/The Smithsonian museum accepted a detective suit and badge worn by the actress' character, Olivia Benson, on the long-running proceduralTue, 10 Sep 2024 18:09:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-painting-that-inspired-the-term-impressionism-debuts-in-america-180985041/Monet's "Impression, Sunrise" anchors an exhibition commemorating the birth of the artistic movement 150 years agoTue, 10 Sep 2024 17:01:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/boeings-starliner-lands-successfully-but-without-its-astronauts-on-board-180985039/The troubled spacecraft conducted a “bull's-eye landing,” but NASA officials still say they made the right decision to leave its astronauts on the ISS out of an abundance of cautionMon, 09 Sep 2024 20:36:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/boston-museum-returns-looted-2700-year-old-necklace-to-turkey-180985032/The gold and carnelian artifact is nearly identical to other jewelry found at an archaeological site in western TurkeyMon, 09 Sep 2024 20:35:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-new-detailed-photos-of-mercury-from-a-spacecrafts-closest-flyby-yet-180985040/BepiColombo, a joint European-Japanese mission, completed its fourth close pass of the innermost planet last week, and it will enter Mercury’s orbit in 2026 to learn more about its mysteriesMon, 09 Sep 2024 19:33:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-rare-trove-of-silver-coins-on-mediterranean-island-180985037/The 27 Roman denarii found on the island of Pantelleria date back more than 2,000 yearsMon, 09 Sep 2024 18:10:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-large-gold-nuggets-form-in-quartz-crystals-during-earthquakes-180985014/Quartz, which can generate electricity, attracts large chunks of gold when stressed and squeezed by seismic shaking, according to a new studyMon, 09 Sep 2024 17:54:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-roman-siege-of-masada-may-have-lasted-weeks-not-years-180985038/New research suggests that the Romans defeated the Jewish rebels at Masada much more quickly than scholars previously assumedMon, 09 Sep 2024 15:28:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/romes-ancient-arch-of-constantine-has-been-struck-by-lightning-180985033/A fierce thunderstorm dislodged marble fragments of the 1,700-year-old monumentFri, 06 Sep 2024 21:24:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-surprising-link-between-bats-dying-and-human-infant-mortality-180985034/A new study finds that when bats in U.S. counties were decimated by the deadly white-nose syndrome, human deaths followed closely behindFri, 06 Sep 2024 20:49:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/painting-attributed-to-rembrandt-found-tucked-away-inside-an-attic-in-maine-180985036/An auctioneer discovered "Portrait of a Girl," which just sold for $1.4 million, during a standard "house call" to an estateFri, 06 Sep 2024 19:52:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/drought-reveals-a-sunken-village-in-greece-as-a-reservoir-dries-up-180985031/After the country's hottest June and July on record, a shrinking artificial lake has uncovered ruins of a school and other buildings that were submerged in the 1970sFri, 06 Sep 2024 19:39:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/divers-discover-sunken-warship-torpedoed-by-germany-in-world-war-i-180985025/A German U-boat sank the HMS "Hawke" off the coast of Scotland in the early days of the warFri, 06 Sep 2024 18:10:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-13-captivating-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-contest-180985029/The highly commended shots provide a preview of the 60th annual competition, which spotlights astounding animal behaviors and the conservation issues they faceFri, 06 Sep 2024 18:03:06 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000https://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 +0000