The weapon is thought to have belonged to J.W. Milam, one of the two men who kidnapped, tortured and killed the Black teenager for whistling at a white woman in a grocery store in 1955

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

Archaeologists Are Digging Up Scotland's Very First Outdoor Skatepark

Kelvin Wheelies skatepark, which hosted the country's first national skateboarding competition, has been buried under rubble for decades

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

Astronomers Spot a Rare Quadruple Star System in the Milky Way, Shedding Light on Mysterious Brown Dwarfs

The discovery can help astronomers better understand these little-known objects nicknamed “failed stars”

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

Early Humans Moved Stones Long Distances to Make Tools 600,000 Years Earlier Than Thought

A new study takes another look at some of the oldest known stone tools and suggests their makers transported materials for up to eight miles

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

How Much Can a Giant Waterlily Hold? See One Carry 183 Pounds Before Sinking, Winning a Social Media Contest

Now in its third year, the Waterlily Weigh-Off invites public gardens and zoos to show off the strength of their aquatic plants

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

Sharks' Teeth Could Suffer Damage as Ocean Acidification Intensifies, Study Suggests

Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are leading to a drop in ocean pH, a change that might eventually make it harder for sharks to eat their prey

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

How a Spontaneous Food Fight Became La Tomatina, Spain's Annual Tomato-Throwing Festival

Thousands of people gathered in a small Spanish town this week for the event, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

America's Largest-Ever Exhibition on Raphael Will Open at the Met Next Year

More than 200 of the Renaissance master's works will be on display in the landmark show, which debuts in March 2026

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

Oldest Known Fossil of an Armored Ankylosaur Is 'Far Weirder' Than Paleontologists Expected

The 13-foot dinosaur, covered in long spikes fused into its bones, suggests ankylosaurs developed tail weapons 30 million years earlier than thought

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

This Christian Cross Found in Abu Dhabi Illuminates the Lives of Monks Who Lived 1,400 Years Ago

Researchers discovered the intricately decorated artifact at an archaeological site near a seventh-century C.E. monastery on the island of Sir Bani Yas

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

Researchers Create Rechargeable, Glow-in-the-Dark Succulents

The team hopes their work, which is still in the early phases, might one day build the foundation for a novel sustainable lighting system

Smithsonian Magazine

02.09.2025

Elusive Sailback Houndshark Rediscovered in Papua New Guinea After 50 Years

The creatures are occasionally caught by local fishermen but hadn’t been scientifically recorded since the 1970s

Smithsonian Magazine

28.08.2025

See the Rare 'Electric Blue' Lobster Found Off the Coast of Massachusetts

Meet Neptune, an American lobster with a vibrantly colored shell that results from a genetic mutation affecting pigmentation

Smithsonian Magazine

28.08.2025

A Man Noticed a Strange Shape on Satellite Images. It Turned Out to Be a 138-Year-Old Shipwreck in Lake Michigan

While sailing through a heavy blanket of fog, the "Frank D. Barker" went off course and ran into a limestone outcropping in October 1887

Smithsonian Magazine

28.08.2025

Seasonal Waves Could Reach Some of Easter Island's Massive Moai Statues by 2080, New Study Suggests

Researchers warn that rising sea levels could cause flooding that will endanger the historically significant statues, which were created by the Rapa Nui people between roughly 1300 and 1600 C.E.

Smithsonian Magazine

28.08.2025

Want to See the Original Lyrics for 'Over the Rainbow'? All You Need Is a Library Card

The Library of Congress has acquired a collection of musical manuscripts and other rare artifacts connected to "The Wizard of Oz"

Smithsonian Magazine

27.08.2025

Migratory Flamingos Age Differently From Resident Ones, Offering a New Clue About Getting Old

A new study of the pink birds in France finds that aging sets in later for flamingos that migrate, though they face higher mortality in early adulthood

Smithsonian Magazine

27.08.2025

Last Known Surviving American Ace Pilot From World War II Dies at 103

Donald McPherson shot down five planes in the Pacific theater in the final years of the war, earning him the title of "ace"

Smithsonian Magazine

27.08.2025

Reading for Pleasure Has Declined by a 'Deeply Concerning' 40 Percent Over the Past Two Decades

Between 2003 and 2023, the proportion of Americans who read for fun on a given day has been steadily falling, a new study suggests

Smithsonian Magazine

27.08.2025

Ancient Statues Emerge From the Waters Off Egypt's Coast, Where They'd Been Hiding for Thousands of Years

Several large sculptures were among the trove of artifacts that divers recovered from the waters near Alexandria, Egypt. Officials say the site may have been an extension of the nearby city of Canopus

Smithsonian Magazine

27.08.2025

Researchers Develop a 'Superfood' for Honeybees to Fight the Drastic Decline of Their Colonies

Bees fed an enriched yeast supplement saw 15 times more of their larvae reach the developmental stage right before adulthood, according to a new study

Smithsonian Magazine

27.08.2025

Astronomers Spot the Brightest Fast Radio Burst Ever Detected and Observe Stars Around Its Origin for the First Time

Using two telescopes, scientists were able to pinpoint the location of the fleeting phenomenon with surprising accuracy

Smithsonian Magazine

26.08.2025

A Unique Supernova 'Dazzled' Astronomers and Revealed the Inner Layers of Stars

Researchers observed a supernova in progress that showed the onion-like structure of elements in stars, and the explosion may belong to a class of its own

Smithsonian Magazine

26.08.2025

College Sophomore Discovers New Origami Pattern That Could Be Used to Build Telescopes and Satellites

Based on the work of a student at Brigham Young University, origami theorists have unlocked a new set of patterns that could change space exploration

Smithsonian Magazine

26.08.2025

World's Tallest Douglas Fir Tree Damaged in Mysterious, Multi-Day Blaze, but It's Alive After Firefighters Extinguish Flames

The fire started burning on August 16 and only affected a single tree—the historic Doerner Fir in southern Oregon. Authorities are still investigating the cause

Smithsonian Magazine

26.08.2025

A Neolithic Cow's Tooth Helps Point to the Mysterious Origins of Stonehenge's Iconic Stones

Isotope analysis of a molar from a cow’s jawbone found buried at the monument provides details of the life story of the animal—and how it may relate to the construction of Stonehenge

Smithsonian Magazine

26.08.2025

To Save This Historic Church, Workers Loaded It Onto Trailers and Rolled It Across Town. See How They Pulled It Off

The 672.4-ton church is one of several buildings that have been relocated in the Swedish town of Kiruna, where Europe's largest underground iron ore mine is weakening the ground beneath the city center

Smithsonian Magazine

26.08.2025

French Official Rules That 1,000-Year-Old Bayeux Tapestry Isn't Too Fragile to Travel to London

The 230-foot-long medieval tapestry is scheduled to go on view at the British Museum next year, but critics worry that transporting the delicate artifact is too risky

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

This Mid-Century Motel Described in Reviews as 'Eerie' Just Became a Los Angeles Historic Monument

Built in 1960, the Hollywood Premiere is the first motel to be added to the list of more than 1,300 protected sites in the city

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

For the Allergy-Ridden, Pollen Can Be a Nuisance. But Scientists Are Using the Powdery Stuff to Make Paper, Sponges and More

Re-engineered into a microgel, pollen could become a critical material for eco-friendly products

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

A Lock of Braided Human Hair Could Change How We Think About Inca Society and Record-Keeping

The khipu knot-tying system was thought to have only been used by elites, but one artifact suggests commoners, too, knew how to use it

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

The New York City Studio Where Artist Mark Rothko Worked Is for Sale

The private unit takes up the second and third floor of the carriage house, which was originally an equestrian training space. The apartment is listed at $9.5 million

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

Suffering From Sleep Apnea? Try Blowing Into a Conch Shell Almost Daily, New Study Suggests

Researchers say the practice might provide a simpler and low-cost alternative to the standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, though trials with more participants are needed

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

Newly Discovered Prehistoric Whale Is 'Deceptively Cute'—It's Tiny but Has a Mouth Full of Razor-Sharp Teeth

Found on the southern coast of Australia, the species could fill gaps in scientists' understanding of baleen whale evolution

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

Read the Dramatic 17th-Century Memoirs of Alice Thornton, Who Wrote Four Versions of Her Life Story

Researchers have digitized all four volumes, which are now available online. The autobiographies offer a compelling window into a tumultuous period in English history

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

Whales and Dolphins Interact More Often Than Scientists Thought, Engaging in Mutual Play, Study Suggests

Researchers analyzed nearly 200 videos and photographs documenting interactions between the various kinds of cetaceans

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

Drones Are Blasting Iconic Argument From 'Marriage Story' to Scare Wolves Away From Cows in Oregon

Scarlet Johansson and Adam Driver's charged dialogue is playing from speakers attached to drones as wildlife officials get creative in their efforts to stop wolves from killing cattle

Smithsonian Magazine

25.08.2025

The Sounds of AOL Dial-Up Defined the Early Internet. Now, the Service Is Shutting Down for Good

Many of today's internet users remember browsing the web for the first time via AOL dial-up. But as subscribers dwindle, the service will be sunsetting on September 30

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Smithsonian Magazine - Technology

This Is What Our Thumbs Say About Our Brains, in a Pattern That Holds True for Other Primates

She Spent Three Weeks Digging for a Diamond for Her Engagement Ring—and Unearthed a 2.3-Carat Stunner

The Gun Linked to Emmett Till's Murder Is Now on Display at a Museum in Mississippi

Archaeologists Are Digging Up Scotland's Very First Outdoor Skatepark

Astronomers Spot a Rare Quadruple Star System in the Milky Way, Shedding Light on Mysterious Brown Dwarfs

Early Humans Moved Stones Long Distances to Make Tools 600,000 Years Earlier Than Thought

How Much Can a Giant Waterlily Hold? See One Carry 183 Pounds Before Sinking, Winning a Social Media Contest

Sharks' Teeth Could Suffer Damage as Ocean Acidification Intensifies, Study Suggests

How a Spontaneous Food Fight Became La Tomatina, Spain's Annual Tomato-Throwing Festival

America's Largest-Ever Exhibition on Raphael Will Open at the Met Next Year

Oldest Known Fossil of an Armored Ankylosaur Is 'Far Weirder' Than Paleontologists Expected

This Christian Cross Found in Abu Dhabi Illuminates the Lives of Monks Who Lived 1,400 Years Ago

Researchers Create Rechargeable, Glow-in-the-Dark Succulents

Elusive Sailback Houndshark Rediscovered in Papua New Guinea After 50 Years

See the Rare 'Electric Blue' Lobster Found Off the Coast of Massachusetts

A Man Noticed a Strange Shape on Satellite Images. It Turned Out to Be a 138-Year-Old Shipwreck in Lake Michigan

Seasonal Waves Could Reach Some of Easter Island's Massive Moai Statues by 2080, New Study Suggests

Want to See the Original Lyrics for 'Over the Rainbow'? All You Need Is a Library Card

Migratory Flamingos Age Differently From Resident Ones, Offering a New Clue About Getting Old

Last Known Surviving American Ace Pilot From World War II Dies at 103

Reading for Pleasure Has Declined by a 'Deeply Concerning' 40 Percent Over the Past Two Decades

Ancient Statues Emerge From the Waters Off Egypt's Coast, Where They'd Been Hiding for Thousands of Years

Researchers Develop a 'Superfood' for Honeybees to Fight the Drastic Decline of Their Colonies

Astronomers Spot the Brightest Fast Radio Burst Ever Detected and Observe Stars Around Its Origin for the First Time

A Unique Supernova 'Dazzled' Astronomers and Revealed the Inner Layers of Stars

College Sophomore Discovers New Origami Pattern That Could Be Used to Build Telescopes and Satellites

World's Tallest Douglas Fir Tree Damaged in Mysterious, Multi-Day Blaze, but It's Alive After Firefighters Extinguish Flames

A Neolithic Cow's Tooth Helps Point to the Mysterious Origins of Stonehenge's Iconic Stones

To Save This Historic Church, Workers Loaded It Onto Trailers and Rolled It Across Town. See How They Pulled It Off

French Official Rules That 1,000-Year-Old Bayeux Tapestry Isn't Too Fragile to Travel to London

This Mid-Century Motel Described in Reviews as 'Eerie' Just Became a Los Angeles Historic Monument

For the Allergy-Ridden, Pollen Can Be a Nuisance. But Scientists Are Using the Powdery Stuff to Make Paper, Sponges and More

A Lock of Braided Human Hair Could Change How We Think About Inca Society and Record-Keeping

The New York City Studio Where Artist Mark Rothko Worked Is for Sale

Suffering From Sleep Apnea? Try Blowing Into a Conch Shell Almost Daily, New Study Suggests

Newly Discovered Prehistoric Whale Is 'Deceptively Cute'—It's Tiny but Has a Mouth Full of Razor-Sharp Teeth

Read the Dramatic 17th-Century Memoirs of Alice Thornton, Who Wrote Four Versions of Her Life Story

Whales and Dolphins Interact More Often Than Scientists Thought, Engaging in Mutual Play, Study Suggests

Drones Are Blasting Iconic Argument From 'Marriage Story' to Scare Wolves Away From Cows in Oregon

The Sounds of AOL Dial-Up Defined the Early Internet. Now, the Service Is Shutting Down for Good

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