Smithsonian Magazine

More Than 1,200 Marine Animal Species Eat Plastic. Ingesting Even a Tiny Amount Can Kill Them, a New Study Suggests

Researchers examined more than 10,000 animal autopsies to figure out how much plastic is too much for ocean wildlife ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Meet the Museum Director Who’s Wild About Walruses

In celebration of World Walrus Day, National Museum of Natural History director Kirk Johnson talks about his new documentary ...
Smithsonian Magazine

These Ancient Log Boats Unearthed in England Were Each Carved From a Single Tree Trunk 3,000 Years Ago

First discovered in 2011, three vessels are the centerpiece of a new exhibition about craftsmanship and transportation ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Two College Students Are Building a Robot to Replant Burned Forests

Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça invented Trovador, a six-legged, A.I.-powered robot that can plant trees in ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Experience the Natural World Evoked by Truman Lowe’s Art

Celebrate Native American artist Truman Lowe in this career retrospective featuring 100+ images and intimate insights on his ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Stunningly Well-Preserved Neanderthal Skull Suggests the Species’ Large Noses Weren’t Adapted for the Cold

A new study analyzes the nasal cavity of the "Altamura Man," a Neanderthal who died between 130,000 and 172,000 years ago ...
Smithsonian Magazine

This ‘Feisty’ Asian Elephant at the National Zoo Is Pregnant. She May Birth the First Calf Born There in Nearly 25 Years

With fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants estimated to be remaining in the wild, the Smithsonian’s announcement gives hope to ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Birds Are Beeping and Booping like R2-D2. Their Mimicked Sounds Are Helping Unlock the Secrets of Avian Communication

The iconic beeps and boops of that lovable cylindrical droid R2-D2 came from the genius of Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Join Us For a Musical Month at the National Museum of American History

Come visit us this month for music and enjoy our festive decorations.
Smithsonian Magazine

Moss Spores Survived Nine Months Outside the International Space Station. Then, They Grew Normally on Earth

While lunar gardens are still out of reach, the study sheds more light on terrestrial biology that may not be limited to our planet's surface ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Indigenous Peoples

Scientists identified traces of the drug in the brain tissue of two individuals buried in the crypt of a hospital in Milan New DNA analysis adds to growing research indicating the famous Pacific ...