Apr

Because of HerStory: A lost treasure

A newly discovered photograph of Harriet Tubman shows the face of a fierce and fearless American hero. Continue reading Because of HerStory: A lost treasure

Apr

Hollywood’s Historical Mishaps: The Pony Express

April 3 is the anniversary of the first Pony Express in 1860. In celebration, let’s pop some popcorn and hand the remote to former Postal Museum intern Emily Shapero for a fun, fast and frankly fake film festival. Continue reading Hollywood’s Historical Mishaps: The Pony Express

Apr

ICYMI: Highlights from the week that was March 24 – March 30, 2019

We checked out some great art museums, celebrated suffrage, averted our eyes from the perennial panda pregnancy insemination and discovered what killed the dinosaurs. All in all, a busy week. Continue reading ICYMI: Highlights from the week that was March 24 – March 30, 2019

Apr

Field in Focus | Restoring America’s Prairie

With an ecosystem that supports an abundance of wildlife, from mighty bison to tiny insects, the prairie is one of North America’s greatest treasures. But decades of alterations have drastically changed this landscape. Is it too late to save it?
Continue reading Field in Focus | Restoring America’s Prairie

Apr

Plan your visit to Orchid Family Day!

“Orchids: Amazing Adaptations,” is now on view at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. Family Day is April 6, 11:30 a.m. 3 p.m.You will have the opportunity to touch and smell orchids, make a orchid corsage, create a postcard with orchid stamps, pot your own orchid, and more! Continue reading Plan your visit to Orchid Family Day!

Mar

Manatee Appreciation Day: So near and yet sonar

All three of the world’s manatee species are threatened with extinction. Smithsonian scientists were the first to use sonar to estimate how many of these vulnerable animals are left. Continue reading Manatee Appreciation Day: So near and yet sonar

Mar

Everything you ever wanted to know about ticks, but were afraid to ask.

Torch writer John Barrat is not afraid to ask world expert Richard Robbins what he knows about these blood-sucking arachnids. (Warning: Contains graphic descriptions of tick sex.) Continue reading Everything you ever wanted to know about ticks, but were afraid to ask.

Mar

Sidedoor: The Feather Detective

Look–up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! Yikes! It’s a bird AND a plane in a head-on collision!
In this episode of Sidedoor, we meet Roxy Laybourne, one of the first scientists to figure out how a bird weighing a few ounces can bring down a multi-ton aircraft. Continue reading Sidedoor: The Feather Detective

Mar

ICYMI: Highlights from the week that was March 17 – March 23

This week, we read about art and ethics. Is “dirty money” laundered by supporting great art? Does lousy art deserve greatness if it’s popular? (Ed. The answer is no, in both cases, in case you were wondering.) Continue reading ICYMI: Highlights from the week that was March 17 – March 23

Mar