Researchers at the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute have solved the mystery of “Egyptian Blue.” Continue reading MCI Researchers Help Recreate the World’s Oldest Pigment
Can you tell a toxic cane toad from a delicious Túngara frog just by listening? Fringe-lipped bats can. (Guess their super-hearing is some compensation for the fringe-lip thing.) Continue reading Young bats learn to be discriminating when listening for their next meal
NMNH paleoanthropologist Briana Pobiner helped identify the earliest evidence of humans in Eastern Europe—tiny cut marks on bone fossils. Continue reading Evidence suggests that our human ancestors were hunting (and eating) in Romania almost 2 million years ago
Reneé S. Anderson, collections manager at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, writes about a civil rights icon near and dear to her heart. Continue reading Fashion Forward: Mae Reeves used her show-stopping hats to help get out the vote
Visit the Harry Winston Gallery at the National Museum of Natural History to see some of the rarest diamonds in the world. Harry Winston gave the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1958, and 67 years later, Harry’s son Ron donated an equally exquisite collection of his own: 119 Fancy color diamonds, a portion of… Continue reading Winston Fancy Color Diamonds Make Their Public Debut
Is baseball ready for robot umpires? Or will they strike out? Historian Eric Hintz considers the implications of automating the calls of balls and strikes. Continue reading When algorithms take the field – Inside baseball’s experiment with robot umpires
Fernanda Abra, an award-winning post-doctoral fellow at the National Zoo’s Conservation Biology Institute, explains how her work building bridges for animals to safely cross busy highways also helped build bridges to local indigenous communities in Amazonia. Continue reading Building Bridges in the Amazon
Few Americans remember the 1957 pandemic – the one that sputtered out before it did real damage. Yet that event left a lasting legacy in how public health experts think about and plan for future outbreaks. Continue reading The US dodged a bird flu pandemic in 1957 thanks to eggs and dumb luck – with a new strain spreading fast, will Americans get lucky again?
We may be partly responsible for why the weather forecast is such a big part of your local news. Continue reading How the Smithsonian pioneered weather forecasting and climate research
Horticulturist Christine Price-Abelow ensures gardens at the National Museum of the American Indian tell the museum’s stories. Continue reading A Garden Museum
The President's budget for fiscal year 2026, released May 30, includes deep cuts to Smithsonian federal funding. Secretary Bunch explains the federal appropriations process and reminds us of the long road between initial requests and final budget. Continue reading FY 2026 Appropriations Process
A chance encounter and a new exhibition demonstrate the power of photography to “Secure the shadow, ere the substance fade.” Continue reading From Shadow to Substance
Salute your colleagues June 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the American History Museum's Warner Brothers Theater. Continue reading Introducing this year’s Unsung Heroes
Kara Blond brings 25 years of experience to her new role, including previous stints at the Smithsonian. Continue reading Director named for SITES | Affiliations
Relive the highlights from this year's Volunteer Appreciation Event--or experience the event for the first time through the miracle of video. Continue reading Highlights from the 2025 Volunteer Appreciation Event
