Smart News | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smart-news/RSS feed for Smart NewsenWed, 17 Jul 2024 21:15:44 +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 +0000Enormous Stegosaurus Skeleton Called 'Apex' Smashes Auction Records and Sells for $44.6 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/enormous-stegosaurus-skeleton-called-apex-smashes-auction-records-and-sells-for-446-million-180984445/The 150-million-year-old dinosaur became the most expensive fossil ever sold at auction, raising old questions about whether such specimens should be put up for saleFri, 31 May 2024 19:13:39 +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 cut-outs are going on display at Sutton House in London, which was once a boarding school for girlsWed, 17 Jul 2024 17:03:44 +0000New 'Butter' Made From Carbon Dioxide Tastes Like the Real Dairy Product, Startup Sayshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-butter-made-from-carbon-dioxide-tastes-like-the-real-dairy-product-startup-says-180984717/The company, called Savor, uses a synthetic fat to approximate the taste of butter and is seeking regulatory approvalWed, 17 Jul 2024 16:55:10 +0000A Statue of a 12-Year-Old Hiroshima Victim Has Been Stolenhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/statue-of-a-child-killed-by-the-bombing-of-hiroshima-has-been-stolen-180984710/The monument to Sadako Sasaki, who died of leukemia in 1955, vanished from Peace Park in SeattleTue, 16 Jul 2024 20:59:17 +0000Scientists Find an Underground Cave on the Moon That Could Shelter Future Explorershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-find-an-underground-cave-on-the-moon-that-could-shelter-future-explorers-180984711/Such caves could serve as lunar bases during upcoming missions, protecting astronauts against cosmic radiation and extreme temperaturesTue, 16 Jul 2024 20:26:57 +0000See Inside Denver's 143-Year-Old Train Stationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/denvers-143-year-old-train-station-just-got-an-11-million-makeoversee-inside-180984709/The transit hub, which just got an $11 million makeover, is deeply connected to the city's historyTue, 16 Jul 2024 19:45:37 +0000Nesting Shorebirds Are Mobbing Drones on New York City Beacheshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nesting-shorebirds-are-mobbing-drones-on-new-york-city-beaches-180984713/The drones, equipped with inflatable life rafts, were intended to help improve public safety for humans this summer—but they're also upsetting orange-beaked birds called American oystercatchersTue, 16 Jul 2024 19:06:22 +0000Check Out Ten Never-Before-Seen Paintings by Winston Churchillhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/check-out-ten-never-before-seen-winston-churchill-paintings-currently-on-display-180984706/The former British prime minister was an avid painter who sometimes gifted his works to other world leadersTue, 16 Jul 2024 17:16:22 +0000Someone Anonymously Mailed Two Bronze Age Axes to a Museum in Irelandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-anonymously-sent-bronze-age-axes-arrive-at-an-irish-museum-in-a-pancake-box-180984704/Officials are asking the donor to come forward with more information about where the artifacts were discoveredMon, 15 Jul 2024 20:28:29 +0000A Giant Polka-Dotted Pumpkin Takes Root in London's Kensington Gardenshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/massive-polka-dot-pumpkin-puts-down-roots-in-londons-kensington-gardens-180984693/The bronze sculpture was created by famed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who often uses pumpkins in her workMon, 15 Jul 2024 18:42:12 +0000Spacesuit Prototype Turns Pee Into Drinking Waterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacesuit-prototype-turns-pee-into-drinking-water-180984707/The system is inspired by the stillsuits for collecting moisture in the science fiction epic <em>Dune</em>Mon, 15 Jul 2024 18:09:41 +0000James Webb's Newest Image Shows a Giant Penguin and an Egghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/james-webbs-newest-image-shows-a-giant-penguin-and-an-egg-180984705/NASA released the dazzling portrait to help celebrate the two-year anniversary of the release of Webb's first imagesMon, 15 Jul 2024 17:24:57 +0000Did Plague Cause the Mysterious Collapse of Europe's Early Farmers 5,000 Years Ago?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-plague-cause-the-mysterious-collapse-of-europes-early-farmers-5000-years-ago-180984688/A new study finds widespread DNA evidence that an ancestor pathogen of the Black Death helped bring about the end of an agricultural society responsible for megalithic tombs and monuments, like StonehengeMon, 15 Jul 2024 16:50:12 +0000Cypress Hill Performs With the London Symphony Orchestra—Just as 'The Simpsons' Predicted 28 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cypress-hill-performs-with-the-london-symphony-orchestra-28-years-after-simpsons-joke-180984697/Originally a gag on the sitcom, the unexpected collaboration drew a packed house at the Royal Albert Hall in LondonMon, 15 Jul 2024 15:40:48 +0000Fire Extinguished at Rouen Cathedral, a Frequent Subject of Monet's Paintingshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fire-extinguished-at-rouen-cathedral-a-frequent-subject-of-monets-paintings-180984703/The 12th-century structure and the artworks inside it sustained no significant damageFri, 12 Jul 2024 21:17:11 +0000You Can Now Visit France's First-Ever Cheese Museumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-now-visit-frances-first-ever-museum-dedicated-to-cheese-180984687/The Musée du Fromage in Paris hosts tastings and teaches visitors about traditional cheesemaking practicesFri, 12 Jul 2024 19:33:21 +0000EPA Reaches $241 Million Settlement With Marathon Oilhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/epa-reaches-241-million-settlement-with-marathon-oil-180984698/The company was illegally polluting the air at nearly 90 facilities in North Dakota, a complaint allegesFri, 12 Jul 2024 18:52:22 +00003D DNA Preserved for 52,000 Years in Freeze-Dried Woolly Mammoth Remainshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/3d-dna-preserved-for-52000-years-in-freeze-dried-woolly-mammoth-remains-180984699/For the first time, researchers have mapped ancient genetic material in unprecedented detailFri, 12 Jul 2024 18:33:19 +0000See Ten Creepy-Crawly Portraits From the Insect Week Photography Contesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ten-creepy-crawly-portraits-from-the-insect-week-photography-contest-180984652/The Royal Entomological Society’s Photography Competition highlights the wonder and diversity of the six-legged creatures that crawl, swim and fly across the planetFri, 12 Jul 2024 18:21:14 +0000Archaeologists Unearth 4,000-Year-Old Ceremonial Temple in Peruhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-4000-year-old-ceremonial-temple-in-peru-180984696/The structure appears to predate Machu Picchu, the country's best-known archaeological site, by 3,500 yearsFri, 12 Jul 2024 17:03:33 +0000Melting Ice Reveals Body of American Mountaineer Missing for 22 Years in the Peruvian Andeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/melting-ice-reveals-body-of-american-mountaineer-missing-for-22-years-in-the-peruvian-andes-180984690/Bill Stampfl, Matthew Richardson and Steve Erskine went missing in an avalanche on Huascarán on June 24, 2002. Climbers found Stampfl's body just weeks agoThu, 11 Jul 2024 21:19:03 +0000Astronomers Spot Rare, Mid-Sized Black Hole in Our Galaxyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-spot-rare-mid-sized-black-hole-in-our-galaxy-180984689/The black hole, if confirmed, is in the star cluster Omega Centauri, about 17,700 light-years away, and it could hold lessons about how such structures are formedThu, 11 Jul 2024 20:35:28 +0000Pop Music Melodies Have Gotten Simpler Over Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pop-music-melodies-have-gotten-simpler-over-time-180984695/A new analysis of Billboard hits from 1950 to 2023 finds that melodic complexity has been steadily decreasingThu, 11 Jul 2024 20:30:03 +0000Gut Microbes Could Help Diagnose Autism, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gut-microbes-could-help-diagnose-autism-study-suggests-180984681/While more research is needed, scientists detected specific differences between the gut microbiomes of children with and without autismThu, 11 Jul 2024 18:31:01 +0000Singapore Approves 16 Insect Species for Human Consumptionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/singapore-approves-16-insect-species-as-food-180984685/The move comes amid broader efforts to improve food security and diversify food sourcesThu, 11 Jul 2024 17:35:54 +0000This Nearby Exoplanet Is Hot, Dangerous—and Smells Like Rotten Eggshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-nearby-exoplanet-is-hot-dangerous-and-smells-like-rotten-eggs-180984673/Located about 64 light-years away from Earth, the world is the first place astronomers have detected hydrogen sulfide outside our solar systemWed, 10 Jul 2024 21:20:13 +0000Wreck of Shackleton's 'Endurance' Gets New Protectionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-endurance-shipwreck-gets-new-protections-amid-warming-antarctic-waters-180984683/The vessel will be preserved beneath Antarctic waters inside a sprawling restricted zoneWed, 10 Jul 2024 20:59:21 +0000Meet the Rare, 'Beautiful' Birds That Thrive in Snow and Are at Risk Because of Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-rare-beautiful-birds-that-thrive-in-snow-and-are-at-risk-because-of-climate-change-180984684/The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Mount Rainier white-tailed ptarmigan as threatened under the Endangered Species Act this monthWed, 10 Jul 2024 20:11:07 +0000Fabled Sword From Medieval French Folklore Disappearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fabled-sword-from-medieval-french-folklore-disappears-180984682/Known as the "French Excalibur," the blade is said to have hung from a rock face in the village of Rocamadour for 1,300 yearsWed, 10 Jul 2024 19:19:02 +0000New Bionic Leg and Surgical Procedure Allow People to Walk With More Control After Amputationshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-bionic-leg-and-surgical-procedure-allow-people-to-walk-with-more-control-after-amputations-180984675/The experimental surgery connects two muscles in the legs of people with below-the-knee amputations, allowing them to control a prosthetic limb with their brainWed, 10 Jul 2024 18:52:03 +0000Archaeologists May Have Found Home Built by One of New England’s First Black Property Ownershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-find-homestead-belonging-to-one-of-new-englands-first-black-property-owners-180984679/Pompey Mansfield was an enslaved man who won his freedom, purchased land, constructed a house and became a prominent community leaderWed, 10 Jul 2024 16:41:07 +0000Ancient DNA Unravels the Mysteries of the Dingo, Australia's Wild Doghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-dna-unravels-the-mysteries-of-the-dingo-australias-wild-dog-180984674/Researchers dove into thousands of years of evolutionary history, revealing new insights about the iconic, though sometimes vilified, caninesTue, 09 Jul 2024 21:17:20 +0000Archaeologists Stumble Upon Marble Statue of Greek God in Ancient Sewerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-stumble-upon-marble-statue-of-greek-god-in-ancient-sewer-180984678/The 2,000-year-old statue, which likely depicts Hermes, is a monumental discovery for BulgariaTue, 09 Jul 2024 21:01:14 +0000Sticks Discovered in Australian Cave Shed New Light on an Aboriginal Ritual Passed Down for 12,000 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sticks-discovered-in-australian-cave-shed-new-light-on-an-aboriginal-ritual-passed-down-for-12000-years-180984642/Both Western analyses and traditional Aboriginal knowledge helped the research team learn about a cultural practice dating to the last ice ageTue, 09 Jul 2024 18:06:45 +0000Napoleon's Elaborately Decorated Pistols Sell for $1.8 Million at Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pistols-that-belonged-to-napoleon-sell-at-auction-180984668/The French government has declared the artifacts national treasures, which means they can only leave the country temporarilyTue, 09 Jul 2024 17:17:22 +0000Gravitational Wave Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of the World's Oldest Analog Computerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gravitational-wave-scientists-are-unraveling-the-mysteries-of-the-worlds-oldest-analog-computer-180984670/A new study challenges a core assumption about the Antikythera mechanism, a 2,000-year-old device that inspired the latest "Indiana Jones" filmTue, 09 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000Travel Through Barbieland at London's Design Museumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/barbieland-takes-over-londons-design-museum-180984664/A new exhibition traces the evolution of one of the world's most famous dolls over six decadesMon, 08 Jul 2024 20:12:43 +0000Did the Extinction of the Dinosaurs Pave the Way for Grapes?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-the-extinction-of-the-dinosaurs-pave-the-way-for-grapes-180984666/Newly discovered fossils in South America hint at the evolution and proliferation of grapes around the worldMon, 08 Jul 2024 19:17:06 +0000General Motors to Pay $146 Million For Excess Emissionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/general-motors-to-pay-146-million-for-excess-emissions-180984667/Almost six million vehicles were emitting over 10 percent more carbon dioxide on average than compliance reports said they wereMon, 08 Jul 2024 18:30:27 +0000You Can Buy Four Drawings by a Young Queen Victoriahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-drawings-from-a-young-queen-victoria-are-up-for-sale-180984645/The sketches, which are heading to auction this week, showcase the teenage royal's devotion to the artsMon, 08 Jul 2024 16:19:25 +0000Taylor Swift Is in Her Museum Erahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/taylor-swift-is-in-her-museum-era-180984663/The singer's costumes and memorabilia are the subject of an upcoming exhibition at London's V&A MuseumMon, 08 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000Aphra Behn, the First Englishwoman to Earn a Living With Her Writing, Is Finally Getting Her Duehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/aphra-behn-the-first-englishwoman-to-earn-a-living-with-her-writing-is-finally-getting-her-due-180984662/A year-long event series aims to champion the pioneering 17th-century writer's legacyFri, 05 Jul 2024 19:45:43 +0000Indonesian Cave Painting Is Oldest-Known Visual Storytellinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indonesian-cave-painting-is-oldest-known-visual-storytelling-180984660/The depiction of three human-like figures interacting with a pig dates to 51,200 years agoFri, 05 Jul 2024 17:53:55 +0000See Ten Awe-Inspiring Images From the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Contesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-ten-awe-inspiring-images-from-the-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-contest-180984651/Auroras, nebulas and stars take the spotlight in this space-themed competition, alongside shots of our own sun and moonFri, 05 Jul 2024 15:00:00 +0000Before the Dinosaurs, This Massive Salamander-Like Predator Ruled Earth’s Swampshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-dinosaurs-this-massive-salamander-like-predator-ruled-earths-swamps-180984658/Fossils unearthed in present-day Namibia tell an intriguing story of tetrapod evolutionFri, 05 Jul 2024 14:20:47 +0000An Excavation in Wales Paints a Picture of Home Life 3,500 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-excavation-in-wales-paints-a-picture-of-bronze-age-homelife-3500-years-ago-180984617/Archaeologists have enlisted volunteers to dig up the remains of a Bronze Age roundhouse found beneath a parkFri, 05 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000Alaska's Juneau Icefield Is Melting at an 'Incredibly Worrying' 50,000 Gallons per Second, Researchers Findhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alaskas-juneau-icefield-is-melting-at-an-incredibly-worrying-50000-gallons-per-second-researchers-find-180984650/Between 2010 and 2020, the icefield lost 1.4 cubic miles of ice each year, according to a new studyWed, 03 Jul 2024 21:16:08 +0000Carpenter Ants Perform Life-Saving Amputations to Treat Leg Injurieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/carpenter-ants-perform-life-saving-amputations-to-treat-leg-injuries-180984653/A new study provides the first evidence of non-human animals performing amputations on others to improve their odds of survivalWed, 03 Jul 2024 19:52:17 +0000Amateur Historians Unearth a Long-Lost Tudor Palace Visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth Ihttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/amateur-historians-unearth-a-long-lost-tudor-palace-visited-by-henry-viii-and-elizabeth-i-180984655/Locals had long shared stories of Collyweston Palace. Then, excavations in England's Midlands revealed traces of the fabled estateWed, 03 Jul 2024 19:40:00 +0000How Deep-Sea Comb Jellies Hold Their Shape Under Crushing Pressurehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-deep-sea-comb-jellies-hold-their-shape-under-crushing-pressure-180984644/The delicate sea creatures fall apart when brought to the surface but can survive miles deep in the ocean due to special cell wall structures, according to a new studyWed, 03 Jul 2024 17:42:58 +0000Theodore Roosevelt's Long-Lost Pocket Watch Surfaces at a Florida Auction Househttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/theodore-roosevelts-long-lost-pocket-watch-surfaces-at-a-florida-auction-house-180984649/Thieves stole the timepiece, a gift from the president's sister, from an unlocked display case in 1987Wed, 03 Jul 2024 17:37:43 +0000Banksy Takes Credit For an Inflatable Migrant Raft That Floated Across a Glastonbury Crowdhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/banksy-takes-credit-for-an-inflatable-migrant-raft-that-floated-across-a-glastonbury-crowd-180984648/The street artist's latest stunt is thought to be a criticism of the U.K.'s immigration policiesTue, 02 Jul 2024 21:25:09 +0000Charlotte the 'Pregnant Virgin' Stingray Dies After Diagnosis of Reproductive Diseasehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/charlotte-the-pregnant-virgin-stingray-dies-after-diagnosis-of-reproductive-disease-180984643/The animal drew attention earlier this year for becoming pregnant despite having no male ray in her tankTue, 02 Jul 2024 19:45:34 +0000NASA Will Pay SpaceX Up to $843 Million to Destroy the International Space Stationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-will-pay-spacex-up-to-843-million-to-destroy-the-international-space-station-180984634/After the end of this decade, the company will guide the aging laboratory into the Pacific Ocean, where many retired spacecrafts have been depositedTue, 02 Jul 2024 18:40:58 +0000How Researchers Solved the Mystery of This 2,000-Year-Old Shipwreckhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-almonds-helped-solve-the-mystery-if-this-shipwreck-180984624/A new analysis of nuts, timber and other items found onboard the Kyrenia shipwreck is shedding new light on the vessel's timelineTue, 02 Jul 2024 18:07:54 +0000Trove of Tombs Sheds Light on How Ancient Egyptian Families Lived—and Diedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trove-of-tombs-sheds-light-on-how-ancient-egyptian-families-lived-and-died-180984637/The finds include mummies from many social classes, some of whom were buried alongside relatives after succumbing to diseaseTue, 02 Jul 2024 15:04:17 +0000Two Pandas Arrive at the San Diego Zoo, the First to Enter the U.S. in 21 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-pandas-arrive-at-the-san-diego-zoo-the-first-to-enter-the-us-in-21-years-180984636/For months, the only pandas in the country had been in Atlanta. Next, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., are expected to also receive pandas this yearMon, 01 Jul 2024 20:12:52 +0000The Smithsonian Acquires the Earliest Known Photograph of an American First Ladyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-smithsonian-acquires-the-earliest-known-photograph-of-an-american-first-lady-180984639/The National Portrait Gallery purchased an 1846 daguerreotype of Dolley Madison for $456,000Mon, 01 Jul 2024 19:41:45 +0000Artist Marina Abramović Silences Glastonbury Crowd for Seven Minuteshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artist-marina-abramovic-silences-glastonbury-crowd-for-seven-minutes-180984638/The typically boisterous crowd went quiet for a collective peace protestMon, 01 Jul 2024 18:38:26 +0000Earth's Inner Core May Be Slowing Its Spin, Another Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earths-inner-core-may-be-slowing-its-spin-another-study-suggests-180984622/New research adds evidence to the controversial idea that the hot, solid ball at the center of our planet has been reducing its speed for years as part of an oscillating cycleMon, 01 Jul 2024 18:29:04 +0000Leftover Ramen Broth Is Causing Problems on South Korea's Mount Hallahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leftover-ramen-broth-is-causing-problems-on-south-koreas-mount-hall-180984633/Visitors are dumping the salty liquid on the ground, and authorities are concerned about its impact on plants and animalsMon, 01 Jul 2024 14:01:04 +0000Volcanic Ash Preserved Trilobite Fossils in Surprising Detail at 'Prehistoric Pompeii'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/volcanic-ash-preserved-trilobite-fossils-in-surprising-detail-at-prehistoric-pompeii-180984629/The specimens date to more than 500 million years ago and provide new insights into trilobite anatomy, revealing previously unseen featuresFri, 28 Jun 2024 21:26:23 +0000What Killed the Last Woolly Mammoths? Scientists Say It Wasn't Inbreedinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-killed-the-last-woolly-mammoths-scientists-say-it-wasnt-inbreeding-180984632/New research suggests some catastrophic event—such as a natural disaster or a virus—killed the world's last known population of mammoths on Wrangel IslandFri, 28 Jun 2024 19:09:00 +0000Is There a Viking Ship Burial Underneath This Norwegian Farm?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-there-a-viking-ship-burial-underneath-this-norwegian-farm-180984631/Archaeologists have uncovered around 70 iron rivets that may have once held together a boat belonging to a kingFri, 28 Jun 2024 18:07:47 +0000ISS Astronauts Forced to Briefly Take Shelter as Russian Satellite Suddenly Breaks Up in Orbithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iss-astronauts-forced-to-briefly-take-shelter-as-russian-satellite-suddenly-breaks-up-in-orbit-180984626/Officials are unsure why the satellite fractured unexpectedly, splintering into nearly 200 piecesFri, 28 Jun 2024 18:06:53 +0000New Blood Test for Predicting Parkinson's Disease With A.I. Shows Promise, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-blood-test-for-predicting-parkinsons-disease-with-ai-shows-promise-study-suggests-180984574/In preliminary research, scientists identified eight protein anomalies in the blood of patients with Parkinson's, which they say can help diagnose the disease up to seven years before symptoms appearFri, 28 Jun 2024 16:44:12 +0000Ancient Egyptian Scribes Were Worked to the Bonehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-scribes-were-worked-to-the-bone-180984628/The administrators spent long periods writing in odd postures, which damaged their joints, researchers discoveredFri, 28 Jun 2024 16:31:36 +0000A Woman Thrifted This Ancient Maya Vase for $3.99—and Then Gave It Back to Mexicohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/woman-thrifted-this-ancient-maya-vase-180984618/Anna Lee Dozier started to wonder about the object's origins when she realized it resembled artifacts in a Mexican museumFri, 28 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000The Island Known as the Birthplace of Apollo Is Sinkinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-birthplace-of-apollo-is-sinking-180984610/Researchers say climate change is to blame for the Greek island of Delos' slow demiseFri, 28 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000Neanderthal Child May Have Had Down Syndrome, Fossil Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthal-child-may-have-had-down-syndrome-fossil-suggests-180984619/The child's survival until at least 6 years old could be evidence of collaborative caregiving in Neanderthal societies, according to a new paperThu, 27 Jun 2024 21:14:53 +0000Tourist Carves His Name Into Ancient House in Pompeiihttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tourist-vandalized-this-ancient-house-in-pompeii-now-he-must-pay-for-the-damage-180984611/The man damaged a wall in the House of Ceii, a dwelling celebrated for its beautiful frescoesThu, 27 Jun 2024 20:48:49 +0000'Frog Saunas' May Be the Key to Saving Amphibians From a Deadly Fungal Infectionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/frog-saunas-may-be-the-key-to-saving-amphibians-from-a-deadly-fungal-infection-180984621/Providing frogs with sun-warmed bricks inside mini-greenhouses can help them recover from chytrid and make them more resilient against the disease in the future, a new study findsThu, 27 Jun 2024 19:51:05 +0000A Jewish Soldier Found in a German Mass Grave Has Been Reburied in an American Cemeteryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jewish-american-soldier-who-died-in-wwii-identified-after-80-years-in-german-mass-grave-180984614/Nathan Baskind received a Jewish burial exactly 80 years after his death in World War IIThu, 27 Jun 2024 19:15:02 +0000Researchers Make a Smiling Robotic Face From Living Skinhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-make-a-smiling-robotic-face-from-living-skin-180984613/The team designed a new way for their lab-grown skin to adhere to the robot's face, in a creation that could help produce soft robots or train plastic surgeonsThu, 27 Jun 2024 18:04:12 +0000Two Massive Asteroids Will Fly Past Earth This Week. Here's What to Knowhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-massive-asteroids-will-fly-past-earth-this-week-heres-what-to-know-180984616/Within 42 hours of each other, the pair of large asteroids, which both have no chance of impacting our planet, will approach Earth as they orbit the sunThu, 27 Jun 2024 16:22:14 +0000Tasmania Is Hiring for a 'Wombat Walker' and Other Odd Jobshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tasmania-hiring-wombat-walker-and-other-odd-jobs-180984603/The Australian island state is trying to drum up tourism during the Southern Hemisphere's winterThu, 27 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000China Brings Samples From the Moon's Far Side to Earth in First-Ever Feathttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/china-brings-samples-from-the-moons-far-side-to-earth-in-first-ever-feat-180984609/The China National Space Administration retrieved more than four pounds of lunar soil samples, which scientists hope will shed light on the early history of Earth and the moonWed, 26 Jun 2024 20:40:40 +000016th-Century Skeletons of Children Infected With Smallpox Discovered in Peruhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-peruvian-indigenous-childrens-bones-were-infected-by-european-smallpox-archaeologists-find-180984573/The toddlers' remains were buried around the beginning of the Spanish conquest of South AmericaWed, 26 Jun 2024 20:16:23 +0000Curator Uncovers Lost Roman-Era Bust of the Emperor Caligulahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-accidentally-uncover-a-rare-long-lost-bust-of-emperor-caligula-180984601/The small bronze statue, which was unearthed at Herculaneum, had been missing for two centuriesWed, 26 Jun 2024 19:09:35 +0000Honeybees Can Sniff Out Lung Cancer, Scientists Suggesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/honeybees-can-sniff-out-lung-cancer-scientists-suggest-180984612/New research opens the door for doctors to one day use bees as a living diagnostic toolWed, 26 Jun 2024 19:03:39 +0000Extreme Wildfires Became Twice as Frequent and Intense in 20 Years, Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/extreme-wildfires-became-twice-as-frequent-and-intense-in-20-years-study-finds-180984599/As measured by satellites, wildfires have markedly increased in boreal and temperate conifer forests, and rising nighttime temperatures allow flames to keep burning intensely after darkWed, 26 Jun 2024 17:54:03 +0000Was This Mysterious Woman a Medieval Warrior?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/was-this-mysterious-woman-a-medieval-warrior-180984605/Buried at a castle in Spain, the woman was found alongside the remains of 22 men who likely died on the battlefieldWed, 26 Jun 2024 10:30:00 +0000Jupiter's Signature Red Spot May Have Evolved More Than Oncehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jupiters-signature-red-spot-may-have-evolved-more-than-once-180984600/The planet's massive storm, known as the Great Red Spot, seems to be different from a spot first observed at roughly the same location in the 17th century, a new study findsTue, 25 Jun 2024 19:58:01 +0000The Judy Garland Museum Wants to Buy Dorothy's Ruby Slippershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-judy-garland-museum-wants-to-buy-dorothys-ruby-slippers-180984604/Officials hope to raise millions to bid on the shoes, which were missing for over a decade, at auction in DecemberTue, 25 Jun 2024 19:26:23 +0000These Stunning Butterflies Flew 2,600 Miles Across the Atlantic Ocean Without Stoppinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-stunning-butterflies-flew-2600-miles-across-the-atlantic-ocean-without-stopping-180984602/Researchers combined several lines of evidence to solve the mystery of why a group of painted ladies, which do not live in South America, were found fluttering on a beach in French GuianaTue, 25 Jun 2024 18:44:30 +0000You Can Now See Thousands of Pablo Picasso's Works in a New Online Archivehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thousands-of-pablo-picassos-works-are-now-online-180984597/The Picasso Museum in Paris has released a digital portal featuring the Spanish painter and sculptor's artTue, 25 Jun 2024 18:22:43 +0000This Rubens Painting Vanished During World War II. Now, It's Returning Home to a Castle in Germanyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rubens-painting-returning-to-castle-in-germany-180984592/"St. Gregory of Nazianzus," once part of the Baroque palace's collection, was stolen and sold at the end of the warTue, 25 Jun 2024 16:59:33 +0000Easter Island Did Not Collapse From Overuse of Resources After All, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/easter-island-did-not-collapse-from-overuse-of-resources-after-all-study-suggests-180984591/A new paper contradicts the idea that people used up the island's resources and experienced a significant population decline, instead proposing that a small society lived there sustainablyTue, 25 Jun 2024 16:56:47 +0000The World's Tallest Male Dog Dies Days After Receiving the Recordhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-tallest-dog-male-dog-dies-days-after-receiving-record-180984556/Kevin, a Great Dane, measured over three feet tall—about the same size as an average 3-year-old childTue, 18 Jun 2024 19:31:49 +0000Chimpanzees May Self-Medicate With Plants, Using the Forest as a Pharmacyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chimpanzees-may-self-medicate-with-plants-using-the-forest-as-a-pharmacy-180984593/New research suggests sick chimps seek out and eat plants with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties—a finding that could advance drug discovery for humansMon, 24 Jun 2024 20:03:39 +0000At Coney Island's Mermaid Parade, Thousands Channel Aquatic Weirdnesshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-coney-islands-mermaid-parade-thousands-channel-aquatic-weirdness-180984595/Crowds decked out as fantastical sea creatures flocked to Brooklyn's amusement district for the summer kickoff eventMon, 24 Jun 2024 18:40:41 +0000Starliner Astronauts Will Remain on Space Station Until July Amid Technical Issueshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/starliner-astronauts-will-remain-on-space-station-until-july-amid-technical-issues-180984589/NASA and Boeing have delayed the crewed mission's return to Earth again, as engineers assess helium leaks and a thruster issue on the spacecraft's service moduleMon, 24 Jun 2024 18:35:33 +0000Why Are Some People Seemingly Immune to Covid-19? Scientists May Now Have an Answerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-are-some-people-seemingly-immune-to-covid-19-scientists-may-now-have-an-answer-180984581/Researchers tracked the immune responses of 16 people intentionally exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and pinpointed a gene that seems to help resist the virus before it can take holdMon, 24 Jun 2024 15:52:57 +0000Parkour Group Damages Building in the Historic Italian City of Materahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/parkour-group-damages-building-historic-italian-city-matera-180984588/Team Phat posted a video showing one of its members breaking a stone protruding from a wallMon, 24 Jun 2024 15:10:16 +0000Watch Blood-Sucking Leeches Leap From Leaves and Soar Through the Airhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-blood-sucking-leeches-leap-from-leaves-and-soar-through-the-air-180984585/New videos may help settle scientists' long-standing debate over whether leeches can jumpFri, 21 Jun 2024 19:56:55 +0000World's Oldest Deep-Sea Shipwreck Discovered a Mile Beneath the Mediterranean Seahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-oldest-deep-sea-shipwreck-discovered-a-mile-beneath-the-mediterranean-sea-180984584/Archaeologists recovered two amphorae from the 3,300-year-old wreck site, which sheds new light on ancient maritime navigationFri, 21 Jun 2024 19:38:34 +0000See 12 Captivating Bird Images From the Audubon Photography Awardshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-12-captivating-bird-images-from-the-audubon-photography-awards-180984562/In its 15th year, the contest showcases diverse avian species, their fascinating behaviors and the habitats needed to keep them aliveFri, 21 Jun 2024 19:06:54 +0000Mysterious Monolith Appears Outside of Las Vegashttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/police-discover-a-mysterious-monolith-outside-of-las-vegas-180984582/The reflective metal structure was found on a hiking trail in the Desert National Wildlife RefugeFri, 21 Jun 2024 19:02:12 +0000An Ancient Beach Buried by Mount Vesuvius' Eruption Is Now Open to the Publichttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-ancient-beach-buried-by-the-eruption-of-mount-vesuvius-is-now-open-to-the-public-180984580/In the seaside resort town of Herculaneum, the beach is the final resting place of more than 330 residents who tried to fleeFri, 21 Jun 2024 18:22:42 +0000This Rubens Masterpiece Was Significantly Altered by Another Artisthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rubens-masterpiece-was-significantly-altered-by-another-artist-180984570/Important details in "The Judgement of Paris" appear to have been changed several decades after the artist's deathFri, 21 Jun 2024 16:50:45 +0000Climate Activists Spray Stonehenge With Orange Painthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/climate-change-protesters-cover-stonehenge-with-orange-powder-180984578/Protesters with Just Stop Oil are demanding that the British government phase out fossil fuels by 2030Thu, 20 Jun 2024 21:12:22 +0000Dinosaur With Giant, Loki-Like Horns Has the 'Craziest, Coolest' Headgear—and Could Be a New Specieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dinosaur-with-giant-loki-like-horns-has-the-craziest-coolest-headgear-and-could-be-a-new-species-180984577/The discovery sheds light on the evolution of a surprisingly diverse group of horned dinosaurs in the western United StatesThu, 20 Jun 2024 20:08:17 +0000This Man Brewed Beer Using 3,000-Year-Old Yeast and a Recipe From an Ancient Egyptian Papyrushttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-brewed-beer-using-3000-year-old-yeast-and-a-recipe-from-an-ancient-egyptian-papyrus-180984576/Utah homebrewer Dylan McDonnell created his 'Sinai Sour' in his backyardThu, 20 Jun 2024 18:15:01 +0000These Badges Shed New Light on the Enslaved Workers Who Built Charlestonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/slaves-built-charleston-these-badges-are-proof-180984571/The Smithsonian has acquired a collection of 146 slave badges from between 1800 and 1865Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:00:56 +0000A 'Major Lunar Standstill' Is Happening This Year—and Friday's Full Moon Offers 'Dramatic' Viewhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-major-lunar-standstill-is-happening-this-year-and-fridays-full-moon-offers-dramatic-view-180984568/From now through much of next year, the moon will periodically rise and set at its most extreme points, thanks to a rare celestial phenomenon that only occurs every 18.6 yearsThu, 20 Jun 2024 16:10:01 +0000Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke Should Be Considered 'Major Disasters' by FEMA Amid Climate Crisis, Advocates Sayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/extreme-heat-and-wildfire-smoke-should-be-considered-major-disasters-by-fema-amid-climate-crisis-advocates-say-180984565/Despite killing more people in the U.S. each year than hurricanes, floods or tornadoes, heat waves aren’t currently eligible for emergency funding from the disaster relief agencyTue, 18 Jun 2024 21:13:49 +0000Oldest Wine Ever Found in Liquid Form Unearthed in 2,000-Year-Old Tombhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-brown-fluid-is-the-worlds-oldest-liquid-wine-too-bad-its-flavored-with-dead-roman-180984566/Researchers have concluded that the fluid preserved inside an ancient funerary urn is a white sherry-like wineTue, 18 Jun 2024 20:33:37 +0000Surgeon General Calls for Placing Warning Labels on Social Media Platformshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/surgeon-general-calls-for-placing-warning-labels-on-social-media-platforms-180984567/Vivek H. Murthy views social media as a contributor the mental health crisis in young people, and he suggests tobacco-style warnings on the appsTue, 18 Jun 2024 19:51:48 +0000Archaeologists Recover 900 Artifacts From Ming Dynasty Shipwrecks in South China Seahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/900-artifacts-recovered-from-ming-dynasty-shipwrecks-in-south-china-sea-180984564/The trove of objects—including pottery, porcelain, shells and coins—was found roughly a mile below the surfaceTue, 18 Jun 2024 15:46:37 +0000Time Is Running Out for the Hudson Bay Polar Bearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/time-is-running-out-for-the-hudson-bay-polar-bears-180984561/The southern and western subpopulations are on track to disappear as sea ice becomes too thin amid rising global temperaturesMon, 17 Jun 2024 20:13:11 +0000Preserved Fruit From the 18th Century Found at George Washington's Estatehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/preserved-fruit-from-washingtons-time-discovered-at-mt-vernon-180984560/During a renovation project, archaeologists uncovered intact bottles containing preserved cherries and berries that are more than 250 years oldMon, 17 Jun 2024 18:58:46 +0000How a Real Photo of a Flamingo Snuck Into—and Won—an A.I. Art Competitionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-a-real-photo-of-a-flamingo-won-an-artificial-intelligence-photography-competition-180984558/The photographer entered the image into a contest's artificial intelligence category to "prove that human-made content has not lost its relevance"Mon, 17 Jun 2024 18:06:53 +0000Rare White Bison Calf Born at Yellowstone National Parkhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-white-bison-calf-born-at-yellowstone-national-park-180984550/A photographer spotted the calf on June 4. White buffalo are sacred to some Native American tribes, and the birth has been called a "blessing and a warning"Mon, 17 Jun 2024 17:09:33 +0000After Months of Glitches and Gradual Fixes, Voyager 1 Is Fully Operational Once Againhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-months-of-glitches-and-gradual-fixes-voyager-1-is-fully-operational-once-again-180984557/Currently 15 billion miles away from Earth, one of NASA’s longest-tenured spacecraft is back from the brink after a technical failure last year put its future in questionMon, 17 Jun 2024 16:39:21 +0000A Twice-Looted Titian Masterpiece Once Discovered at a Bus Stop Hits the Auction Blockhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-twice-looted-titian-masterpiece-once-discovered-at-a-bus-stop-hits-the-auction-block-180984549/The painting, "The Rest on the Flight into Egypt," could sell for as much as $30 millionMon, 17 Jun 2024 15:55:13 +0000Mars Was Hit With a Solar Storm Days After Earth's Aurora Light Show, NASA Sayshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-was-hit-with-a-solar-storm-days-after-earths-aurora-light-show-nasa-says-180984548/Studying this event could hold lessons for scientists about how to protect astronauts from radiation on future trips to the Red PlanetMon, 17 Jun 2024 15:31:06 +0000These Dutch Newlyweds Had Their Portraits Painted Nearly 400 Years Ago. But Who Were They?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-dutch-newlyweds-had-their-portraits-painted-nearly-400-years-ago-but-who-were-they-180984525/A curator has finally figured out the identity of the couple painted by Frans Hals around 1637Mon, 17 Jun 2024 15:29:14 +0000Railbiking Is Catching On Across the Nation—Here's Where to Try It Yourselfhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/railbiking-is-catching-on-across-the-nationheres-where-to-try-it-yourself-180984554/Sit back, relax and pedal your way along historic railroad tracksMon, 17 Jun 2024 11:30:00 +0000Rare 'Absolutely Tiny' Plant, Not Seen for More Than a Century, Found in Vermonthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-absolutely-tiny-plant-not-seen-for-more-than-a-century-found-in-vermont-180984552/The last time a botanist recorded a sighting of false mermaid-weed in the state was in 1916Fri, 14 Jun 2024 20:39:06 +0000Ancient DNA Illuminates the History of Malaria, One of the World's Deadliest Diseaseshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-dna-illuminates-the-history-of-malaria-one-of-the-worlds-deadliest-diseases-180984547/Researchers extracted parasitic DNA from preserved teeth and bones, revealing how malaria spread across the globe in a new studyFri, 14 Jun 2024 19:48:30 +0000In This Ancient Workshop, Greeks Crushed Snail Glands to Make the Purple Dye Worn by Royaltyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-this-ancient-workshop-greeks-crushed-snail-glands-to-make-the-purple-dye-worn-by-royalty-180984551/Archaeologists discovered remnants of the small factory on an island in GreeceFri, 14 Jun 2024 19:05:38 +0000A Giant Interstellar Cloud May Have Once Enveloped Earth, Potentially Causing Ice Ageshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-giant-interstellar-cloud-may-have-once-enveloped-earth-potentially-causing-ice-ages-180984529/Astronomers suggest this cold, dense cloud compressed our sun's protective field between two and three million years ago, leaving the Earth exposed to cosmic materialFri, 14 Jun 2024 16:25:33 +0000Ernest Shackleton's Last Ship, Quest, Discovered Off the Coast of Canadahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ernest-shackletons-last-ship-quest-discovered-off-the-coast-of-canada-180984545/The famed explorer died of a heart attack aboard the ship near South Georgia Island in 1922, and it sank in the north Atlantic Ocean in 1962Fri, 14 Jun 2024 14:13:25 +0000Akira Endo, Biochemist Who Found a Way to Fight Heart Disease, Dies at 90https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/akira-endo-biochemist-who-found-a-way-to-fight-heart-disease-dies-at-90-180984541/Endo's research paved the way for the development of drugs to treat high cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokesThu, 13 Jun 2024 21:11:03 +0000Meet the 'Echidnapus,' an Extinct Creature That Resembles Both the Echidna and Platypus of Todayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-echidnapus-an-extinct-creature-that-resembles-both-the-echidna-and-platypus-of-today-180984543/The species is among three newly identified monotremes, or egg-laying mammals, discovered from fossils in Australia that are shedding light on the odd animals' evolutionThu, 13 Jun 2024 19:58:17 +0000Endangered Wild Horses Return to Kazakhstan for the First Time in at Least 200 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/endangered-wild-horses-return-to-kazakhstan-for-the-first-time-in-at-least-200-years-180984538/The international effort, led by the Prague Zoo, released seven Przewalski’s horses to their native steppe habitat in central AsiaThu, 13 Jun 2024 18:32:27 +0000You Could Own Rare Copies of the Nation's Founding Documents, Just in Time for the Fourth of Julyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-couldown-rare-copies-of-nations-founding-documents-just-in-time-for-fourth-july-180984540/Sotheby's is auctioning early printings of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as well as a 1790 Rhode Island broadsideThu, 13 Jun 2024 18:01:58 +0000With the Recovery of Massive Grave Slabs, England's Oldest Shipwreck Continues to Reveal Its Secretshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/grave-slabs-recovered-from-englands-oldest-shipwreck-180984537/Maritime archaeologists hoisted the heavy artifacts, made of a special type of limestone, from 23 feet below the surface of the English ChannelThu, 13 Jun 2024 17:51:49 +0000A Mass Grave of Maya Boys May Shed Light on Human Sacrifice in Chichén Itzáhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-mass-grave-of-maya-boys-may-shed-light-on-human-sacrifice-in-chichen-itza-180984542/Researchers have genetically tested the bones and made determinations of gender and family relationsThu, 13 Jun 2024 17:06:01 +0000Scientists Release Largest Trove of Data on How Space Travel Affects the Human Bodyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-release-largest-trove-of-data-on-how-space-travel-affects-the-human-body-180984532/A collection of 44 new studies, largely based on a short-duration tourist trip in 2021, provides insight into the health effects of traveling to spaceThu, 13 Jun 2024 15:06:13 +0000You Could Write in Ursula K. Le Guin’s Former Portland Home Studiohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-could-write-in-ursula-k-le-guins-former-portland-home-studio-180984535/The Le Guin family has donated the science fiction novelist's former house to be used for a new writers residencyWed, 12 Jun 2024 19:50:35 +0000See the Rare, 2,000-Pound Hoodwinker Sunfish That Washed Ashore in Oregonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-rare-2000-pound-hoodwinker-sunfish-that-washed-ashore-in-oregon-180984533/The species was only described in 2017 after "hiding in plain sight" for nearly three centuriesWed, 12 Jun 2024 19:30:09 +0000Discovery of 4,000-Year-Old Structure in Greece Stumps Archaeologists and Threatens Major Airport Constructionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/discovery-of-4000-year-old-structure-in-greece-stumps-archaeologists-and-threatens-major-airport-construction-180984536/The mystifying Minoan structure, unearthed on a hilltop in Crete, is one of 35 newly announced archaeological finds in the areaWed, 12 Jun 2024 19:08:54 +0000African Elephants May Call Each Other by Namehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/african-elephants-may-call-each-other-by-name-180984521/In a new study, a computer model was able to identify the recipient of an elephant's call more than a quarter of the time, which scientists say is significantly greater than chanceWed, 12 Jun 2024 17:27:24 +0000This Stash of Silver Coins Found in Germany Belonged to a Wealthy 17th-Century Mayorhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-stash-of-silver-coins-found-in-germany-belonged-to-a-wealthy-17th-century-mayor-180984530/The collection includes pieces from surrounding regions, as well as Italy and the Spanish NetherlandsWed, 12 Jun 2024 16:33:21 +0000Astronomers Discover Water Frost on Mars' Tallest Volcanoeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discover-water-frost-on-mars-tallest-volcanoes-180984518/On early winter mornings, a thin layer of ice forms in craters atop the Red Planet's towering peaks, near its equator, according to a new studyWed, 12 Jun 2024 16:05:55 +0000Catapult Shots Fired During 13th-Century Siege Unearthed at British Castlehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-catapult-fired-stones-found-at-a-british-castle-were-part-of-a-13th-century-siege-180984520/Found on the grounds of Kenilworth Castle, the eight stones were used during a clash between rebels and royal forces in 1266Wed, 12 Jun 2024 13:02:32 +0000Mary Cassatt's Paintings Take Women's Labor Seriouslyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mary-cassatts-paintings-take-womens-labor-seriously-180984526/A new exhibition challenges longstanding assumptions about the American Impressionist's artistic legacyTue, 11 Jun 2024 20:37:28 +0000Don't Call Wombats Heroes, but Their Burrows Do Provide Food, Water and Shelter for Other Animalshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dont-call-wombats-heroes-but-their-burrows-do-provide-food-water-and-shelter-for-other-animals-180984522/During Australia’s devastating bushfires in 2019 and 2020, misinformation spread about wombats welcoming animals into their underground homes—but a new study finds a kernel of truth in the viral storyTue, 11 Jun 2024 19:37:11 +0000Trove of Rare Artifacts Unearthed Beneath an Ancient Roman Wellhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artifacts-found-in-ancient-roman-well-reveal-details-about-imperial-life-and-rituals-180984519/Dozens of items, including burnt bones and ceramics, provide new insights into ritual activity in the city of OstiaTue, 11 Jun 2024 18:13:19 +0000Pineapple-Sized Hail Stone Falls in Texas—and It Might Set a New State Recordhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pineapple-sized-hail-stone-falls-in-texas-and-it-might-set-a-new-state-record-180984511/Veteran storm chaser Val Castor spotted the behemoth ice chunk in a ditch near Vigo Park in the Texas panhandleTue, 11 Jun 2024 17:58:07 +0000Ancestry Releases Records of 183,000 Enslaved Individuals in Americahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancestry-releases-records-183000-enslaved-individuals-america-180984515/The genealogy company has digitized and published 38,000 newspaper articles from between 1788 and 1867—before Black Americans were counted as citizens in the U.S. censusTue, 11 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000William Anders, NASA Astronaut Who Captured Iconic 'Earthrise' Photograph, Dies at 90https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/william-anders-nasa-astronaut-who-captured-iconic-earthrise-photograph-dies-at-90-180984508/The Apollo 8 lunar module pilot also served in the U.S. Air Force and worked extensively on nuclear energy projectsMon, 10 Jun 2024 21:02:01 +0000Medieval Game Pieces Unearthed Beneath a Castle in Germanyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-medieval-game-pieces-were-played-with-by-german-nobles-180984509/The "excellently preserved" chess knight, six-sided die and several other pieces are all about 1,000 years oldMon, 10 Jun 2024 20:02:44 +0000The Western U.S. Is Sweltering Under a 'Heat Dome.' What Does That Mean?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-western-us-is-sweltering-under-a-heat-dome-what-does-that-mean-180984510/A stagnant high-pressure system over the region is trapping heat, exacerbating high temperatures and setting recordsMon, 10 Jun 2024 19:28:03 +0000Two Nazi-Looted Paintings Were Returned to a Jewish Family, Who Donated Them Back to the Louvrehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-nazi-looted-paintings-were-returned-to-a-jewish-family-who-then-donated-them-back-to-the-louvre-180984512/The 17th-century artworks were recovered from Germany and placed at the Paris museum in the 1950sMon, 10 Jun 2024 18:29:53 +0000When Did Humans Domesticate Horses? Scientists Find Modern Lineage Has Origins 4,200 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-humans-domesticate-horses-scientists-find-modern-lineage-has-origins-4200-years-ago-180984483/A new study suggests people in the Eurasian steppe bred horses around 2200 B.C.E., challenging earlier ideas about the beginnings of horse husbandryMon, 10 Jun 2024 17:41:03 +0000Ancient Celtic Elites Inherited Wealth From Their Mothers' Sideshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-celtic-elites-inherited-wealth-from-their-mothers-sides-180984486/A genetic analysis of opulent burial mounds in Germany sheds new light on how power passed through family linesMon, 10 Jun 2024 17:06:48 +0000Man Infected With H5N2 Bird Flu in Mexico Dies. Here's the Latest on the Virushttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/man-infected-with-h5n2-bird-flu-in-mexico-dies-heres-the-latest-on-the-virus-180984488/The strain is not the same one that has infected U.S. cows and three dairy farm workers, and officials say the risk to the general public remains lowFri, 07 Jun 2024 20:09:01 +0000See the Stunning Shrine With Rare Blue-Painted Walls Unearthed at Pompeiihttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-blue-shrine-unearthed-at-pompeii-180984507/The 86-square-foot space is adorned with artworks depicting female figures and agricultural imageryFri, 07 Jun 2024 19:51:54 +0000More Than a Century Ago, Flamingos Disappeared From Florida. Now, They're Coming Homehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-a-century-ago-flamingos-disappeared-from-florida-now-theyre-coming-home-180984492/Likely transported by Hurricane Idalia last August, more than 100 of the pink birds were counted in a February census in the Sunshine State, where they are considered a native speciesFri, 07 Jun 2024 18:47:26 +0000Hall of Fame Examines 150 Years of Black Baseball Historyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hall-of-fame-examines-150-years-of-black-baseball-history-180984484/A new exhibition begins long before the creation of the Negro Leagues and ends with the triumphs and challenges of today's playersFri, 07 Jun 2024 18:24:42 +0000Archaeologists Discover Clues to Ancient Migration Route That Brought Humans to Australiahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-clues-to-ancient-migration-route-that-brought-humans-to-australia-180984475/New research offers evidence that humans did not inhabit the island of Timor until around 44,000 years ago, suggesting it was not part of the original migration route from Southeast Asia to AustraliaFri, 07 Jun 2024 16:46:23 +0000This Boba Fett Figure Is Now the Most Valuable Vintage Toy in the Worldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-is-now-the-most-valuable-vintage-toy-in-the-world-180984481/Created in 1979, the rare missile-firing figurine has become a "mythic icon" among collectorsFri, 07 Jun 2024 16:14:28 +0000SpaceX's Starship Lands Successfully for the First Time in a Test Flighthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacexs-starship-lands-successfully-for-the-first-time-in-a-test-flight-180984477/Three previous uncrewed test flights ended with Starship being destroyed, but both the booster and the spacecraft splashed down on the fourth tryThu, 06 Jun 2024 21:03:26 +0000Norwegian Farmer Stumbles Upon 1,000-Year-Old Viking Swordhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/found-on-a-farm-in-norway-this-sword-belonged-to-vikings-1000-years-ago-180984478/The well-preserved artifact may belong to a special class of high-quality, engraved weaponsThu, 06 Jun 2024 21:00:23 +0000These National Parks Are Hosting Astronomy Festivals in 2024https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-national-parks-are-hosting-astronomy-festivals-in-2024-180984479/Get outside, ditch the light pollution and marvel at the cosmos on these protected public landsThu, 06 Jun 2024 19:45:39 +0000An Ailing Franz Kafka Curses Writer's Block in This Handwritten Letter to a Friendhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sick-franz-kafka-curses-writers-block-in-this-handwritten-letter-to-a-friend-180984471/"I haven't written anything for three years," he admitted in the note, which will go to auction this summerThu, 06 Jun 2024 19:06:23 +0000'Pregnant Virgin' Stingray Won't Give Birth After All—Here's Whyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pregnant-virgin-stingray-wont-give-birth-after-all-heres-why-180984458/Charlotte, a female round stingray in North Carolina who has gathered a legion of online fans, is no longer pregnant due to a "rare reproductive disease"Thu, 06 Jun 2024 17:45:47 +0000Ansel Adams Estate Condemns Adobe for Selling A.I.-Generated Images Mimicking the Photographer's Stylehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ansel-adams-estate-condemns-adobe-for-selling-ai-generated-images-mimicking-the-photographers-style-180984473/The black-and-white landscape dupes, which have since been taken down, violated Adobe's generative A.I. policiesThu, 06 Jun 2024 17:27:02 +0000England's Mysterious 'Seahenge' Monument May Have Been Built to Prolong Summerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/englands-mysterious-seahenge-monument-may-have-been-built-to-prolong-summer-180984467/One researcher thinks the structure was used for ancient rituals during a period of bitter coldWed, 05 Jun 2024 21:08:57 +0000Guinness Names Ghana Toddler as the 'World's Youngest Male Artist'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ghanaian-toddler-sets-guinness-world-record-as-worlds-youngest-male-artist-180984465/Ace-Liam Ankrah, who turns 2 in July, has already hosted a solo exhibition and sold 15 original piecesWed, 05 Jun 2024 18:48:36 +0000130-Foot Snake Carving Slithers Through 2,000-Year-Old Rock Art Found in South Americahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/130-foot-snake-carving-found-among-2000-year-old-rock-art-along-south-american-river-180984469/The conspicuous reptile renderings spotted along the Orinoco River likely functioned as territorial markers, akin to pre-Colombian road signsWed, 05 Jun 2024 18:28:41 +0000Kids Discover Tyrannosaurus Rex Fossil in North Dakotahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/kids-discover-tyrannosaurus-rex-fossil-in-north-dakota-180984470/The bones belonged to a dinosaur that was likely a teenager when it died. Only a handful of young T. rex skeletons have ever been foundWed, 05 Jun 2024 16:29:34 +0000Paleontologists Uncover Rare Skull of 500-Pound 'Thunder Bird' in Australiahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paleontologists-uncover-rare-skull-of-500-pound-thunder-bird-in-australia-180984464/The most complete skull of the extinct, flightless bird ever found has revealed adaptations that might have made the creature well-adapted for a life near waterTue, 04 Jun 2024 21:04:41 +0000Hawaii's Kilauea, One of the World's Most Active Volcanoes, Erupts Againhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hawaiis-kilauea-one-of-the-worlds-most-active-volcanoes-erupts-again-180984462/The short-lived eruption occurred in an area of the volcano that had not erupted since December 1974Tue, 04 Jun 2024 19:42:51 +0000This Tiny Fern Has the World's Largest Known Genomehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-fern-has-the-worlds-largest-known-genome-180984457/The plant's genome has about 50 times as many base pairs as a human's, and its DNA from a single cell would stretch longer than a football fieldTue, 04 Jun 2024 18:02:03 +0000Builders Haven't Finished Reconstructing Notre-Dame Cathedral—But Lego Fans Canhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/builders-havent-finished-reconstructing-notre-dame-but-lego-fans-can-180984454/Lego is selling a 4,383-piece model of the historic structure ahead of the upcoming Paris OlympicsTue, 04 Jun 2024 17:00:31 +0000Archaeologists Discover Ancient Canoes Hidden Beneath a Wisconsin Lakehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-11-historic-native-canoes-buried-underneath-a-wisconsin-lake-180984463/One of the vessels dates back around 4,500 years, making it the oldest ever found in the Great Lakes regionTue, 04 Jun 2024 16:08:46 +0000Climate Activist Vandalizes a Monet With an Apocalyptic Imagehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/climate-activist-vandalizes-a-monet-with-an-apocalyptic-image-180984461/A protester was arrested on Saturday after plastering a poster over "Poppy Field" at the Musée d'Orsay in ParisMon, 03 Jun 2024 20:54:36 +0000Missed the 'Parade of Planets'? These Upcoming Alignments Will Likely Be Better, Anywayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/missed-the-parade-of-planets-these-upcoming-alignments-will-likely-be-better-anyway-180984453/Astronomers tempered expectations of the celestial event this week, pointing to others in the near future as more exciting opportunities for sky watchersMon, 03 Jun 2024 19:59:15 +0000Mexico City's Reservoirs Are at Risk of Running Out of Waterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mexico-citys-reservoirs-are-at-risk-of-running-out-of-water-180984433/Amid climate change, drought and aging infrastructure, the largest metropolitan area in North America is struggling to conserve water in a major reservoir systemMon, 03 Jun 2024 18:30:42 +0000These 28 Horses Were Buried in an Ancient Mass Grave. How Did They Die?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-french-horses-may-have-died-fighting-caesar-180984455/Archaeologists are puzzled by the 2,000-year-old burial site uncovered in central FranceMon, 03 Jun 2024 18:26:54 +0000Bizarre Sex Helped Anglerfish Diversify and Dominate the Deep Sea, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bizarre-sex-helped-anglerfish-diversify-and-dominate-the-deep-sea-study-suggests-180984449/Some of these fish perform obligate parasitism, in which males attach to—and then fuse bodies with—the much-larger femalesMon, 03 Jun 2024 16:08:29 +0000This Woman-Led Photography Exhibition Showcases the Diversity of Middle Eastern Femininityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-woman-led-photography-exhibition-showcases-the-diversity-of-middle-eastern-feminity-180984452/The Middle East Institute show, "Louder Than Hearts," explores portraits of Arab and Iranian women through the lens of ten celebrated female artistsFri, 31 May 2024 19:37:14 +0000People Are Spotting Rare, Blue-Eyed Cicadas Around Illinoishttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-are-spotting-rare-blue-eyed-cicadas-around-illinois-180984450/As two broods of periodical cicadas emerge across the U.S. this spring, people have discovered a few of the bugs that don’t have their trademark red eyesFri, 31 May 2024 17:49:06 +0000Trove of 600 Looted Italian Artifacts Worth $65 Million Comes Homehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trove-600-looted-italian-artifacts-worth-65-million-comes-home-180984451/The collection includes artifacts spanning the ninth century B.C.E. to the second century C.E.Fri, 31 May 2024 16:37:24 +0000The Brothers Grimm Did Much More Than Tell Fairy Taleshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/polish-university-discovers-27-works-belonging-to-the-brothers-grimm-180984427/A recent discovery in a Polish library of 27 books that were thought to have been lost sheds light on the breadth of the German scholars' workFri, 31 May 2024 16:36:17 +0000Climate Change Is Making Airplane Turbulence More Common and Severe, Scientists Sayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/climate-change-is-making-airplane-turbulence-more-common-and-severe-scientists-say-180984440/Following turbulence on a flight last week that led to one death and dozens of injuries, researchers, flight attendants and transportation officials alike are warning about links between warmer air and turbulenceFri, 31 May 2024 16:00:24 +0000Wreck of WWII Submarine Found After 80 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wreck-of-wwii-submarine-found-after-80-years-180984446/The USS Harder, known by the nickname "Hit ‘em HARDER," was led by a commander known for his 'particularly audacious attacks' on Japanese warshipsFri, 31 May 2024 13:32:38 +0000Research Reveals Early Jamestown Settlers Ate Indigenous Dogs to Survivehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/research-reveals-early-jamestown-settlers-ate-indigenous-dogs-to-survive-180984443/Cut marks on canine bones demonstrate that English colonists relied on dogs for mealsThu, 30 May 2024 20:36:57 +0000Another Volcanic Eruption Hits Iceland, Launching Lava More Than 160 Feet Into the Airhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/another-volcanic-eruption-hits-iceland-launching-lava-more-than-160-feet-into-the-air-180984442/It's the fifth eruption near the town of Grindavik since December, signaling a new era of volcanic activity for the regionThu, 30 May 2024 20:26:13 +0000Between Dives, Orcas Take Only a Single Breathhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/between-dives-orcas-take-only-a-single-breath-180984444/A new study finds the black-and-white marine mammals tend to make shorter, shallower dives compared to humpback and blue whales, making orcas the "sprinters" of the oceanThu, 30 May 2024 19:08:27 +0000Eerie Lampreys Hint at the Origins of Our 'Fight-or-Flight' Response and Sympathetic Nervous Systemhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/eerie-lampreys-hint-at-the-origins-of-our-fight-or-flight-response-and-sympathetic-nervous-system-180984325/The jawless, parasitic fish largely haven't changed over the last 340 million years, but they might be better sources for studying our own evolution than thought, a recent study suggestsThu, 30 May 2024 17:52:01 +0000Ramses II's Long-Lost Sarcophagus Has Finally Been Identifiedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ramses-II-long-lost-sarcophagus-finally-been-identified-180984441/An Egyptologist recently concluded that a fragment of an overlooked granite coffin bears the great pharaoh's nameThu, 30 May 2024 16:10:41 +0000Bette Nash, Longest-Serving Flight Attendant in the World, Dies at 88https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bette-nash-longest-serving-flight-attendant-in-the-world-dies-at-88-180984438/Nash became a flight attendant in 1957 and never stopped workingWed, 29 May 2024 20:45:34 +0000Crows Can 'Count' Up to Four Like Human Toddlers, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/crows-can-count-up-to-four-like-human-toddlers-study-suggests-180984420/Three carrion crows engaged in a simplified version of counting when prompted, and the birds showed signs of planning out their responsesWed, 29 May 2024 20:45:14 +0000Groundbreaking Research Shows Ancient Egyptians Were Conducting Cancer Surgery Over 4,000 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-research-shows-ancient-egyptians-were-conducting-cancer-surgery-over-4000-years-ago-180984431/By putting an ancient skull under the microscope, scientists are proving that cancer research is about 1,000 years older than previously thoughtWed, 29 May 2024 19:10:17 +0000Family Members Infected With Parasitic Worms After Eating Undercooked Bear Meat at Reunionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/family-members-infected-with-parasitic-worms-after-eating-undercooked-bear-meat-at-reunion-180984434/Six people developed symptoms of roundworm infection after consuming grilled black bear meat and vegetables in July 2022, and all have since recoveredWed, 29 May 2024 17:35:55 +0000The Children of Pompeii Saw Gladiators Fight to the Death—and They Drew Graffiti About Ithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-children-of-pompeii-saw-gladiators-fight-to-the-death-and-they-drew-graffiti-about-it-180984432/Researchers recently discovered bloodshed-themed stick-figure sketches in a cluster of houses in the doomed ancient cityWed, 29 May 2024 16:45:00 +0000Robot Sets New Rubik's Cube Speed Record, Completing the Puzzle in 0.305 Secondshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/robot-sets-new-rubiks-cube-speed-record-completing-the-puzzle-in-0305-seconds-180984430/A team of Mitsubishi engineers harnessed high-speed motors and an A.I. algorithm to eclipse the previous record, set six years agoWed, 29 May 2024 16:42:53 +0000Venus Might Still Have Active Volcanoes, as Recent Lava Flows Suggest 'Ongoing' Eruptionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/venus-might-still-have-active-volcanoes-as-recent-lava-flows-suggest-ongoing-eruptions-180984421/Astronomers have again discovered evidence of recent volcanic activity on Earth's sister planet in data from the 1990sWed, 29 May 2024 15:02:00 +0000Miniature Fabergé Animals That Enchanted the Romanovs and Other Royals Are Up for Salehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/miniature-faberge-animals-that-enchanted-the-romanovs-other-royals-now-up-for-sale-180984425/Crafted around 1900, the charismatic carvings were inspired by Japanese decorative pendantsWed, 29 May 2024 11:01:00 +0000Police Recover Stolen Francis Bacon Painting Worth $5 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/police-recover-stolen-francis-bacon-painting-worth-5-million-180984429/The piece was one of five artworks stolen during a robbery in Madrid in 2015Tue, 28 May 2024 20:31:17 +0000Wild Dogs Have Muscles for 'Puppy Eyes,' Suggesting the Cute Expression Did Not Evolve Just for Humanshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-dogs-have-muscles-for-puppy-eyes-suggesting-the-cute-expression-did-not-evolve-just-for-humans-180984422/African wild dogs have the same well-developed eye muscles that domestic dogs use to make their signature pleading faces, a recent study findsTue, 28 May 2024 20:29:06 +0000Letters Written by Ancient Roman Commanders Have Been Found in a Pet Cemetery in Egypthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/letters-written-by-ancient-roman-commanders-have-been-found-in-a-pet-cemetery-in-egypt-180984423/Discovered among the graves of hundreds of cats, dogs and monkeys, the correspondence was likely written by centurions in the first centuryTue, 28 May 2024 18:45:43 +0000New Device Delivers Electric Pulses to Help Patients Regain Movement After Spinal Cord Injurieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-device-delivers-electric-pulses-to-help-patients-regain-movement-after-spinal-cord-injuries-180984401/Alongside physical therapy, the electric stimulation helped patients with tetraplegia improve mobility in their arms and hands in a small trialTue, 28 May 2024 18:07:47 +0000Imperiled Eagles Are Altering Their Migration Routes to Avoid the War in Ukrainehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/imperiled-eagles-are-altering-their-migration-routes-to-avoid-the-war-in-ukraine-180984413/Researchers found that greater spotted eagles migrated longer distances and made fewer rest stops following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, compared to previous yearsTue, 28 May 2024 15:45:16 +0000Do These Coins Belong to a Legendary 18th-Century Polish Fraudster?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/do-these-coins-belong-to-a-legendary-18th-century-polish-fraudster-180984417/Mountain hermit Antoni Jaczewicz tricked sick people into thinking he had healing powers. A Polish treasure-hunting group believes they’ve found his fortuneTue, 28 May 2024 14:36:44 +0000A New Airline for Dogs Takes Flighthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-airline-for-dogs-takes-flight-180984419/Bark Air made its inaugural flight from New York and Los Angeles this week. But seats are pricey, costing up to $8,000Fri, 24 May 2024 20:47:51 +0000Alaska's Rivers Are Turning Orange as Thawing Permafrost Releases Metals Into Waterwayshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alaskas-rivers-are-turning-orange-as-thawing-permafrost-releases-metals-into-waterways-180984408/A new study identifies at least 75 Arctic streams where minerals, especially iron, are staining water with a rusty hueFri, 24 May 2024 20:31:10 +0000Austrian Man Discovers Hundreds of Mammoth Bones While Renovating His Wine Cellarhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/austrian-man-discovers-hundreds-of-mammoth-bones-while-renovating-his-wine-cellar-180984418/Owner Andreas Pernerstorfer thought he'd found a piece of wood, but then he remembered something his grandfather had said about finding teeth in the cellar decades agoFri, 24 May 2024 18:19:17 +0000See Five Dazzling New Images of the Cosmos, Captured by Europe's Space Telescopehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-five-dazzling-new-images-of-the-cosmos-captured-by-europes-space-telescope-180984415/With its visible and infrared photography, Euclid—known as the "dark universe detective"—is helping astronomers better understand dark matter and dark energyFri, 24 May 2024 17:20:25 +0000This Ancient Chinese Couple Was Buried in a Miniature Homehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-chinese-couple-was-buried-in-a-miniature-home-180984416/The tomb, composed of two chambers connected by a tiny door and windows, was found in a family gravesite on China's east coast containing four other burialsFri, 24 May 2024 16:52:17 +0000Soldiers Put an Ancient Greek Suit of Armor to the Test, and It Passedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/soldiers-put-an-ancient-greek-suit-of-armor-to-the-test-and-it-passed-180984411/Researchers outfitted Greek marines in replicas of a Mycenaean suit and simulated combat to see if the armor was usable in its dayFri, 24 May 2024 15:38:13 +0000Researchers Trace the Origin of the Sun's Magnetic Field, Shedding Light on Space Weather and Solar Cycleshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-trace-the-origin-of-the-suns-magnetic-field-shedding-light-on-space-weather-and-solar-cycles-180984410/In a new study, scientists suggest the sun's magnetic field originates much closer to the star's surface than previously thought, a finding that could boost predictions of solar activityFri, 24 May 2024 15:25:05 +0000See the Graffiti Bored British Soldiers Carved Into a Castle Door More Than 200 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-graffiti-bored-british-soldiers-carved-into-a-castle-door-more-than-200-years-ago-180984406/One of the carvings may even depict French emperor and military commander Napoleon Bonaparte being hangedFri, 24 May 2024 12:39:27 +0000Oldest Known Aboriginal Pottery Discovered in Australiahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/oldest-known-aboriginal-pottery-discovered-in-australia-180984414/Found on the island of Jiigurru, the 82 shards predate the arrival of Europeans by centuries, dating to between 2,000 and 3,000 years agoFri, 24 May 2024 11:15:00 +0000Why a New Portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, Is So Controversialhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-new-portrait-catherine-princess-wales-so-controversial-180984409/For the second time this month, a painting of a British royal is garnering backlashThu, 23 May 2024 19:29:26 +0000Did Body Lice Spread Bubonic Plague? Research Suggests the Parasites Are Better Vectors Than Thoughthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-body-lice-spread-bubonic-plague-research-suggests-the-parasites-are-better-vectors-than-thought-180984412/These blood-sucking insects are capable of transmitting the bacteria that caused the Black Death, according to a laboratory studyThu, 23 May 2024 19:12:14 +0000After Brain Injuries, Doctors and Families Should Take More Time With Life Support Decisions, Research Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-brain-injuries-doctors-and-families-should-take-more-time-with-life-support-decisions-research-finds-180984390/A small study suggests some severe traumatic brain injury patients can later recover a level of independence or return to their pre-injury livesThu, 23 May 2024 15:52:35 +000050,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Bones Have Remains of Human Viruses, Scientists Findhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/50000-year-old-neanderthal-bones-have-remains-of-human-viruses-scientists-find-180984404/The preliminary analysis is a first step in testing the theory that infectious diseases played a role in Neanderthals' extinctionThu, 23 May 2024 12:39:05 +0000Centuries-Old Maya Beekeeping Tools Unearthed in Mexicohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-old-maya-beekeeping-tools-unearthed-mexico-180984405/Archaeologists in the Yucatán Peninsula found several stone lids used by the pre-Columbian civilization to collect honey from stingless beesThu, 23 May 2024 12:25:05 +0000Did Hannibal's Army Burn Down This Ancient Mountain Settlement?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-hannibals-army-burn-down-this-ancient-mountain-settlement-180984393/In a scorched village in Spain, archaeologists discovered a hidden gold earring that suggests residents foresaw a coming attack around the time of the Second Punic WarWed, 22 May 2024 20:02:33 +0000A Historical Glass-Enclosed Chapel Overlooking the Pacific Ocean Must Be Dismantled Before Nature Can Destroy Ithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/california-hisoric-wayfarers-chapel-is-being-dismantled-180984392/The one-of-a-kind sculpture in California, designed by the son of famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is at the mercy of shifting groundsWed, 22 May 2024 19:40:36 +0000Mexico's Howler Monkeys Are Dying, 'Falling Out of the Trees,' Amid Scorching Heat Wavehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mexicos-howler-monkeys-are-dying-falling-out-of-the-trees-amid-scorching-heat-wave-180984403/Veterinarians and volunteers are trying to save the threatened primates by hoisting buckets of water and food into trees, as well as providing medical careWed, 22 May 2024 18:11:36 +0000This 130,000-Year-Old Decorative Bear Bone May Be the Oldest Known Neanderthal Arthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-130000-year-old-decorative-bear-bone-may-be-the-oldest-known-neanderthal-art-180984380/Researchers say the carved artifact was not a utilitarian item and instead served a symbolic purposeWed, 22 May 2024 16:25:46 +0000Tennis Icon Venus Williams Scores Her Own Barbie Dollhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tennis-icon-venus-williams-scores-her-own-barbie-doll-180984402/The plastic (and fantastic) version of Williams is one of nine new Mattel dolls celebrating female athletesWed, 22 May 2024 16:22:41 +0000Cleaning Crew Discovers One of the World's Oldest Surviving Desktop Computershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cleaning-crew-discovers-one-worlds-oldest-surviving-desktop-computers-180984399/The 1972 Q1 microcomputer could fetch $60,000 at auctionWed, 22 May 2024 16:21:24 +0000Keith Haring Painted This Mural on the Wall of an Iowa Elementary School Libraryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/keith-haring-painted-this-mural-wall-iowa-elementary-school-library-180984398/Ahead of planned construction, experts removed the 4,000-pound wall behind the 1989 artwork, which is now on public display for the first timeWed, 22 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000DNA Reveals How German Cockroaches Came to Dominate the Worldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dna-reveals-how-german-cockroaches-came-to-dominate-the-world-180984396/A new paper looks at the genes of the most common cockroach species, tracing its historical journey alongside humans, from Asia to the Middle East, Europe and beyondWed, 22 May 2024 12:50:51 +0000This Tiny Taco Stand in Mexico City Was Just Awarded a Coveted Michelin Starhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-taco-stand-in-mexico-city-was-just-awarded-a-coveted-michelin-star-180984400/Founded in 1968, Taquería El Califa de León has just four items on its menu, which diners eat while standing elbow to elbowWed, 22 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000Archaeologists Discover Ancient Roman Swimming Pool in Albaniahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-have-discovered-an-ancient-roman-swimming-pool-beneath-an-albanian-city-180984397/Found in an upper-class villa, the indoor pool was accompanied by decorative mosaics and frescoes dating back nearly two millenniaTue, 21 May 2024 21:51:22 +0000How Spider Silk Could Inspire Microphones of the Future and Revolutionize Sound Designhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-spider-silk-could-inspire-microphones-of-the-future-and-revolutionize-sound-design-180984379/Spiderwebs can pick up vibrations in air flow caused by sound waves, and researchers say microphones designed this way could become more sensitive and compactTue, 21 May 2024 20:07:38 +0000Did a Dried-Up Branch of the Nile Help the Egyptians Build the Pyramids?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-pyramids-were-actually-built-on-the-banks-of-this-dried-up-branch-of-the-nile-180984389/Researchers say 31 of the monuments were constructed on the banks of the ancient waterwayTue, 21 May 2024 18:31:46 +0000Beachcombers Discover Rare, Deep-Sea Anglerfish Washed Up on Oregon Coasthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beachcombers-discover-rare-deep-sea-anglerfish-washed-up-on-oregon-coast-180984394/Most humans will never see a Pacific footballfish, as the creatures live at depths of 2,000 to 3,300 feet below the ocean's surfaceTue, 21 May 2024 18:07:05 +0000Never-Before-Seen Royal Family Portraits Go on Display at Buckingham Palacehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/step-into-history-with-100-years-of-never-before-seen-royal-family-photos-180984391/"Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography" showcases 150 photographs taken between the 1920s and todayTue, 21 May 2024 17:07:54 +0000Scientists Uncover the Ancient Origins of Baobab Trees in Genetic Studyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-uncover-the-ancient-origins-of-baobab-trees-in-genetic-study-180984384/The trees originated in Madagascar 21 million years ago but later traveled long distances by way of ocean currents, according to new researchTue, 21 May 2024 14:33:02 +0000This Polish Museum Received a Mysterious Package in the Mail—With Missing 17th-Century Tiles Insidehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/someone-sent-a-mysterious-package-to-this-polish-museum-inside-they-found-missing-17th-century-tiles-180984385/The ceramic tiles, which vanished during World War II, once adorned a Baroque bathing pavilion in WarsawMon, 20 May 2024 21:12:04 +0000Mushroom Hunters Stumble Upon Mysterious Stone Sculpture in Thai Foresthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mushroom-hunters-stumble-upon-mysterious-stone-sculpture-thai-forest-180984382/While the artwork's age is still unknown, some think it depicts the mother of the BuddhaMon, 20 May 2024 19:20:56 +0000Ed Dwight, the First Black Astronaut Candidate in the U.S., Finally Travels to Space at 90 Years Oldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ed-dwight-the-first-black-astronaut-candidate-in-the-us-finally-travels-to-space-at-90-years-old-180984388/The former Air Force pilot trained to become an astronaut in the 1960s but was never selected by NASA. On a Blue Origin flight Sunday, he became the oldest person to go to spaceMon, 20 May 2024 18:55:07 +0000Has the Mystery of the 'Mona Lisa' Background Been Solved?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-background-mystery-180984377/Ann Pizzorusso, a geologist and art historian, says she's identified the location in the background of Leonardo da Vinci's famous paintingMon, 20 May 2024 18:13:50 +0000Bob Dylan Traded This Painting in Exchange for an Astrology Readinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bob-dylan-painting-that-the-artist-traded-for-an-astrology-reading-could-sell-for-100000-180984374/The musician created the artwork in the 1960s while recovering from a motorcycle accident in Woodstock, New YorkMon, 20 May 2024 17:36:11 +0000Watch a Blue-Green Comet Illuminate Skies Over Spain and Portugalhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-a-blue-green-comet-illuminate-skies-over-spain-and-portugal-180984387/The colorful fireball mesmerized onlookers—and its unexpected appearance surprised astronomers who are hoping to better predict when space rocks enter Earth's atmosphereMon, 20 May 2024 17:23:26 +0000