Smithsonian Magazine

Smithsonian is a magazine that focuses on science and nature, produced by the Smithsonian Institution based in Washington, D.C. While it is linked to this prestigious organization, it operates independently in terms of editorial content. The magazine launched its first issue in 1970. The Smithsonian also hosts various events, including the American Ingenuity Awards, Future Con, and Museum Day.

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Biologists Rejoice as Extremely Rare Guam Kingfishers Lay Their First Wild Eggs in Nearly 40 Years

2 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Sarah Kuta

The brightly colored birds are extinct in the wild, having disappeared from their native Guam in 1988 due to the introduction of the invasive brown tree snake. But now, they’re starting to make a comeback on Palmyra Atoll A colorful bird that’s been extinct in the wild for nearly 40 years has been introduced on a new island in the Pacific Ocean—and the population has even started laying eggs.
These Massive Monuments Hosted Community Gatherings Where Prehistoric People Mingled, Feasted and Buried Their Dead

2 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Sarah Kuta

A new study contradicts the long-held assumption that Ireland’s Neolithic passage tombs were reserved for members of an elite ruling family Ireland’s lush, green landscapes are dotted with Stone Age tombs, with some burial sites dating back 5,000 years. Archaeologists have long puzzled over these mysterious graves, wondering who was buried in them and what roles they played in Neolithic societies. Now, they may finally have some answers to these questions.
Are These Mysterious 400,000-Year-Old Artifacts the Oldest Ivory Objects Made by Humans?

3 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Sarah Kuta

Found in Ukraine, the fragments show signs of human manipulation—though researchers still haven’t ruled out the possibility that they were shaped by natural forces Archaeologists have unearthed mysterious 400,000-year-old artifacts made from mammoth tusks that may be the oldest human-made ivory objects ever found. They describe their findings in a recent paper published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.
These Large, Snake-Like Fish Are Invading the United States-and Authorities Want You to Kill Them

5 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Sarah Kuta

Invasive northern snakeheads can “walk” on land, breathe air and survive out of water for several days, and they also compete with native species in waterways It may sound like something out of science fiction: A three-foot-long fish that can breathe air, “walk” on land and survive for days out of the water. But the northern snakehead is very real—and, perhaps more importantly, it’s very invasive.
How to Watch the Lyrid Meteor Shower at Its Dazzling Peak

5 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Sara Hashemi

The annual spectacle, which is happening now, will last until around April 25—but the best viewing will fall between the 21 and 22 The annual Lyrid meteor shower will soon peak, lighting up the night sky with dazzling shooting stars. Lyrid meteors began appearing this week, and the shower will last until around April 25—but the best time to view it will be from the night of April 21 into the early hours of April 22.
Why Skiers Are Ending the Season With a Splash-and Keeping the Raucous Tradition of Pond Skimming Alive

6 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Anna Fiorentino

For nearly 100 years, die-hards have been saying goodbye to winter by speeding down the slopes and water skiing over massive puddles Down a wet blanket of rain and sticky snow came a lineup of costumed skiers and snowboarders, plunking into a freezing pond like little ducklings. Dozens of wipeouts later, all was not lost. A flash of orange came bombing down—a skier in coveralls (no undershirt) and a Maine “” hat, holding up a rubber lobster in his fishing glove.
Now Open in Kansas City, The World's First Barbecue Museum Is a Feast for the Senses

6 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Sarah Kuta

Jump in the bean-themed ball pit, solve a pork puzzle and pose with a championship mustard belt at the new Museum of BBQ From tender beef brisket to succulent pork spare ribs, barbecue is a beloved staple of American cuisine and culture. You can learn all about this delicious food tradition at the Museum of BBQ, which opened on April 12 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Paul Revere Wasn't the Only Midnight Rider Who Dashed Through the Darkness to Warn the Patriots That the British Were Coming

6 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Ellen Wexler

Revere, who was later immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem, was one of many riders who rode through the countryside, spreading the alarm on April 18, 1775 Hours before the first shots of the American Revolution rang out, 700 British soldiers stationed in Boston mobilized under cover of darkness, hoping to stop the war in its tracks.
Chemical Hints on a Distant Planet Offer 'Strongest Evidence Yet' for Life Outside Our Solar System, Astronomers Say

6 days ago | smithsonianmag.com | Sara Hashemi

The James Webb Space Telescope spotted possible signatures for life in an exoplanet’s atmosphere. Still, researchers caution it’s far too early to call the findings definitive Scientists have detected what they say is the “strongest evidence yet” for the existence of extraterrestrial life, found on a giant planet 124 light-years away. The James Webb Space Telescope spotted possible chemical signatures that, on Earth, are only produced by life, such as algae.
Watch Majestic Moose Meander North With This Popular Live Stream From Sweden

1 week ago | smithsonianmag.com | Sarah Kuta

“The Great Moose Migration” shows the antler-adorned ungulates making their annual spring trek Every spring, Sweden’s moose head north to their lush, green, summer grazing pastures. To reach their intended destination, dozens must swim across the scenic Ångerman River—and, as they do, they’re blissfully unaware that millions of people are watching their every move.