Smithsonian Stories

Stories that spark curiosity from the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex.

black hole
Smithsonian Snapshot

First-Ever Image of a Black Hole

Captured by the Event Horizon Telescope, this image reveals the supermassive black hole at the center of Messier 87.
Last Empress, Cixi
Smithsonian Snapshot

Cixi, the Last Empress Dowager of China

From concubine to empress: Cixi effectively ruled China for nearly 50 years.
Vera Rubin
Smithsonian Snapshot

Vera Rubin: Lifelong Astronomer

Rubin is best known for finding evidence of dark matter.
Peineta (comb)
Smithsonian Snapshot

Intricate Beauty

Peinetas, such as the 19th-century peineta pictured here, came to symbolize a woman’s individuality and entrance into society.
myrtle finch
Smithsonian Story

Crape Myrtle Trees Aren’t Native to the U.S., But Birds Find Them Tasty

A recent adaptation represents a dramatic shift in the diet of many native birds.
chandelier
Smithsonian Snapshot

Illuminating Culture

Pepón Osorio created “El Chandelier” for a performance that explored the life of a Puerto Rican woman living in New York.
Microscopic images of some diseases
Smithsonian Story

What Causes Disease Outbreaks and How Can We Stop Them?

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History offers a critical science lesson for the 21st century.
bird on branch
Smithsonian Snapshot

Bond, James Bond: Ornithologist

The Smithsonian collections contain bird specimens that the real James Bond collected in the Caribbean.
crocodile with frozen treat
Smithsonian Story

How Do National Zoo Animals Beat the Heat?

The animal care specialists at the Smithsonian’s National have a few tricks up their sleeves to bring relief.
rocket with probe
Smithsonian Story

A Solar Probe Is on Its Way to Touch the Sun

The journey will culminate in 2024 with its closest ever approach of 3.83 million miles.
iron egg pan
Smithsonian Snapshot

A Patently Better Egg

Building a better frying pan—a complete one-pan breakfast.
yellow orchid with magenta highlights
Smithsonian Story

See Thousands of Orchids in Incredible Detail

You don’t need to water these dazzling orchids to enjoy them.
Eye chart with dog
Smithsonian Snapshot

“Eye”-vy League Bulldog

Graphic designer Paul Rand plays with the iconography of eye charts to create a clever advertisement for Yale University.
shark held in hand
Smithsonian Snapshot

Hey, Little Fella!

The dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi) is the smallest shark, and it can fit in a human hand.
snake with bright red eyes on plant
Smithsonian Story

Newly Discovered Snakes Use Curved Teeth to Pry Snails from Their Shells

Five new species of snail-eating snake have been discovered by a team working in Ecuador and Peru.
mantis shrimp drawing
National Museum of Natural History

Behold the Mantis Shrimp

The ocean is home to some of the most incredible creatures on Earth: Learn why the mantis shrimp is one of them.
fabric swatches of color
Smithsonian Story

The Story Behind the Color

The natural world is full of color, but who chooses the color for the products we buy?
astronauts eating ice cream
Smithsonian Story

Space is the Best Place to Eat Ice Cream

The stable temperature and microgravity of a space station makes it a perfect place to eat the frozen treat.
dinosaur stamp
National Postal Museum

“When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth”

This stamp was released by the U.S. Postal Service in 2000 as part of a souvenir sheet “Celebrate The Century: 1990s.”
James Joyce
Smithsonian Snapshot

Remembering James Joyce on Bloomsday

James Joyce’s novel Ulysses follows the exploits of Dubliner Leopold Bloom during the course of a single day, June 16, 1904.
orangutan with pumpking
Smithsonian Story

The Zoo Guide to Fine Dining

Forget the reservations, white tablecloth, and mother-of-pearl caviar spoons. Learn about the art of fine dining—zoo style.
guaridan figures
Smithsonian Snapshot

Guardians of More Than a Galaxy

These two large, wooden guardian figures once kept watch over the Buddha and his followers outside Ebaradera temple in Sakai, Japan.
men on horses surrounding a tree with guns pointed.
Smithsonian Story

An Artist Emphasizes Those Erased from History

During the American expansion west, many groups became the targets of racial violence.
tortoise
Smithsonian Story

Five Fun Turtle and Tortoise Facts

Learn about the differences between turtles and a tortoises and some fun facts.

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