How the Turtle Got Its Shell, With Apologies to Aesop
Smithsonian paleontologist Hans Sues unpacks the complicated evolution of how this creature grew a home upon its back
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John Steinbeck's Epic Ocean Voyage Rewrote the Rules of Ecology
A legendary writer, a quirky biologist and their jolly adventure in the Sea of Cortez
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Why Americans Love Their Apple Pie
How did a humble dessert become a recipe for democracy?
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Who Says Horses and Cows Can't Be Artists?
The sculptures on display at the Great Salt Lick Contest in Oregon are the work of cattle, horses, sheep and deer
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You Can Thank Chemist Stephanie Kwolek for Bulletproof Vests and Yoga Pants
The long-serving researcher at DuPont invented kevlar and contributed to spandex
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Inside a Brain Bank, Where Humans' Most Precious Organ Is Dissected and Studied
Unlike organ transplants, brains are used primarily to support research of some of the most widespread and debilitating diseases in the world
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When an Influx of French-Canadian Immigrants Struck Fear Into Americans
In the late 19th century, they came to work in New England cotton mills, but the New York Times, among others, saw something more sinister
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Do Goats Really Love to Jump and More Questions From Our Readers
You've got questions, we've got experts
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Dramatic New Photographs Recreate Scenes of Artists at Work
Adrian Broom's series brings vitality to how we think about the likes of Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner or Mark Twain
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A Chunk of Trinitite Reminds Us of the Sheer, Devastating Power of the Atomic Bomb
Within the Smithsonian's collections exists a telltale trace of the weapon that would change the world forever
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A 42,000-Year-Old Man Finally Goes Home
At long last, the remains of Mungo Man are at rest after an agonizing clash between modern science and an ancient spirituality
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Sculptor Edmonia Lewis Shattered Gender and Race Expectations in 19th-Century America
As the orphaned child of a black father and a Native-American mother, Lewis rewrote the 19th-century definition of sculptor
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How to Read Like Mark Twain
Step one: Pretend you don't like books
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Why Spain Is Seeking to Catalog All of Its Historic Shipwrecks
A deep dive into the archives yields hundreds of long-forgotten journeys
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This Desert Is Covered in Rock Graffiti
Just remember: You can look but don’t touch, and here’s why
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When the Public Feared That Library Books Could Spread Deadly Diseases
"The great book scare" created a panic that you could catch an infection just by lending from the library
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A Brief History of the Waffle Iron
Cornelius Swartwout’s invention, patented 150 years ago, helped feed America’s passion for waffles
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Breakfast at the Zoo and 25 Other Things to Do at the Smithsonian in September
Breakfast at the Zoo and 25 Other Things to Do at the Smithsonian in September
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Could a Rusty Bridge Generate Electricity?
New research shows that water flowing over thin layers of rust can generate power
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How Biology Inspires Future Technology
Bioengineers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute showcase their ingenious medical, industrial and environmental designs at the Cooper Hewitt
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This Smithsonian Scientist is on a Mission to Make Leeches Less Scary
Curator Anna Phillips is on a quest to make leeches less repulsive to the public
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