Emma Saaty

Sep 13, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Emma Saaty

Deep in the winding corridors of the National Museum of Natural History’s vast bird collection, museum specialist Jim Whatton carefully opened a large wooden drawer. A group of researchers from the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Virginia Working Landscapes (VWL) program peered over the collection case, their eyes fixed on rows of speckled bobwhite quail specimens. The birds looked pristine, as if they had been collected that morning.

Sep 12, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Emma Saaty

Beneath the perpetually bright subarctic summer sun, a team of researchers ventured deeper into the vast, untamed wilderness of Canada’s Northwest Territories. As their boots sank into the marshy tundra and mosquitoes buzzed in their ears, the scientists were driven by a singular mission: to collect the oldest rocks on Earth.  Earth was formed over 4.5 billion years ago, but little physical material has survived from that early period.

Aug 1, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Emma Saaty

How did Earth go from a fiery planet covered with oceans of magma to a lush biosphere that supports life? Understanding a process that took over 4 billion years to unfold has proven difficult but answers to these geologic mysteries may be hiding in the chemical makeup of tiny and tough crystals known as zircons. Only a handful of these ancient minerals have ever been collected. As a result, scientists have never had enough material to conduct research that could unlock their planetary secrets.

Jul 30, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Emma Saaty

From a towering T. rex skeleton to galleries of glittering gemstones, every visitor's journey to the National Museum of Natural History begins with a sense of wonder. But beyond its enchanting exhibits, the museum is committed to creating an inclusive experience where all audiences can enjoy the marvels of the natural world. For the tens of thousands of people who wander the museum’s vast halls every day, accessible options and resources are front and center.

Jun 5, 2024 | smithsonianmag.com | Emma Saaty

Even if you can’t always see them, traces of life on Earth are all around you. A small scoop of water from the ocean or a cup of dirt from your backyard may seem unremarkable, but these environmental samples hold a treasure trove of information: hundreds of genetic fingerprints left behind by fish darting beneath the water and tiny insects burrowing into the soft earth.