Historians think the 2,000-year-old device was used to predict the positions of celestial bodies. A new digital simulation suggests that its gears may have frequently malfunctioned

Smithsonian Magazine

19.04.2025

These Large, Snake-Like Fish Are Invading the United States—and Authorities Want You to Kill Them

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

Smithsonian Magazine

19.04.2025

How to Watch the Lyrid Meteor Shower at Its Dazzling Peak

The annual spectacle, which is happening now, will last until around April 25—but the best viewing will fall between the 21 and 22

Smithsonian Magazine

19.04.2025

Squirrels, Not Monkeys, May Be the Animal Source of Mpox, Researchers Suggest

A preliminary study traces an mpox outbreak in a group of Ivory Coast monkeys to the fire-footed squirrel, indicating the rodent may be a natural reservoir for the virus

Smithsonian Magazine

19.04.2025

Fusion Rockets Could Theoretically Cut Our Travel Time to Mars in Half. This U.K. Startup Wants to Give It a Try

The company’s ambitious new Sunbird design aims to harness nuclear fusion in space, despite the fact that commercializing such energy on Earth remains a faraway dream

Smithsonian Magazine

19.04.2025

Rembrandt's Stunning Sketch of a Lion Will Be Sold at Auction to Fund Wildlife Conservation Efforts

"Young Lion Resting" is among dozens of Dutch Golden Age artworks from the Leiden Collection that are now on view at the H’ART Museum in Amsterdam

Smithsonian Magazine

18.04.2025

Abraham Lincoln's Blood-Stained Gloves, Early Scribblings and Dozens of Other Belongings Are Going Up for Sale

Nearly 150 pieces of Lincolniana from throughout the 16th president's life will be hitting the auction block in Chicago on May 21

Smithsonian Magazine

18.04.2025

Watch These Elephants Form an 'Alert Circle' as an Earthquake Shakes San Diego, Protecting Their Young at the Center

Footage from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park shows the large mammals huddling together around the herd's calves

Smithsonian Magazine

18.04.2025

See 26 Captivating Images From the World Press Photo Contest

In stark black-and-white and stunning color, this year's winning photographs capture global events on a human scale

Smithsonian Magazine

18.04.2025

Chemical Hints on a Distant Planet Offer 'Strongest Evidence Yet' for Life Outside Our Solar System, Astronomers Say

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

Smithsonian Magazine

18.04.2025

Watch Majestic Moose Meander North With This Popular Live Stream From Sweden

“The Great Moose Migration” shows the antler-adorned ungulates making their annual spring trek

Smithsonian Magazine

18.04.2025

Angler Catches 153-Pound Behemoth in Texas Using Ultra-Light Tackle, Likely Setting a New World Record

Art Weston and Kirk Kirkland reeled in and released the enormous freshwater fish, known as an alligator gar, after a four-hour battle on Lake Livingston

Smithsonian Magazine

18.04.2025

Hundreds of Looted Ancient Artifacts Confiscated From the Black Market Are Now On Display in Naples

The National Archaeological Museum of Naples is showcasing 600 recovered objects, which date to between the Archaic period and the Middle Ages

Smithsonian Magazine

17.04.2025

As His 143-Year-Old Church Nears Completion, Architect Antoni Gaudí Is Placed on the Path to Sainthood

Gaudí, nicknamed "God's architect," was declared "venerable" by Pope Francis this week, putting him one step closer to canonization

Smithsonian Magazine

17.04.2025

A Young Sailor's Remains Return Home 84 Years After He Was Killed at Pearl Harbor

Neil Frye was 20 when Japan launched its surprise attack on December 7, 1941. He has been laid to rest with full military honors in his home state of North Carolina

Smithsonian Magazine

17.04.2025

The Moon's Far Side Is Strangely Dry—Lunar Samples Suggest It's Much More Parched Than the Side That Faces Earth

Chinese researchers analyzed the first-ever soil samples returned from the far side of the moon, but further samples will be needed to verify their findings

Smithsonian Magazine

17.04.2025

Salmon Are Being Exposed to Our Anti-Anxiety Medication, and It's Making Them Take More Risks, Study Suggests

Atlantic salmon exposed to a common anti-anxiety drug migrate faster, according to new research. That's not necessarily a good thing

Smithsonian Magazine

17.04.2025

Check Out the First Confirmed Footage of the Colossal Squid, a Rare and Enigmatic Deep-Sea Species

Most of what we know about the elusive creature comes from research on its remains found in whale stomachs, but scientists just filmed a one-foot-long juvenile in the South Atlantic Ocean

Smithsonian Magazine

17.04.2025

Rare Watercolor by 'Wuthering Heights' Author Emily Brontë Will Go on Public Display for the First Time

"The North Wind," painted while Emily and her sister Charlotte were studying in Belgium, is now heading to the Brontë family home in Yorkshire

Smithsonian Magazine

16.04.2025

High School Student Discovers 1.5 Million Potential New Astronomical Objects by Developing an A.I. Algorithm

The 18-year-old won $250,000 for training a machine learning model to analyze understudied data from NASA's retired NEOWISE telescope

Smithsonian Magazine

16.04.2025

See the 'Fantastical Beasts and Foliage' Featured in These Rare, Newly Discovered Tudor Wall Paintings

Created in the Grotesque style, the 16th-century images—revealed by renovations at a lodge in England—mimic historic textile designs

Smithsonian Magazine

16.04.2025

Long-Lost 'Merci Train' Given to New Jersey After World War II Has Been Found

To thank America for its support during the war, France sent a boxcar stuffed with gifts to each state. But in the late 1950s, New Jersey's disappeared without a trace

Smithsonian Magazine

16.04.2025

Super-Sniffing Rat Sets a New World Record for Discovering Deadly Land Mines—and He's Just Getting Started

Ronin, a 5-year-old African giant pouched rat, has found 109 land mines and 15 other unexploded ordnances in Cambodia

Smithsonian Magazine

16.04.2025

Tree Rings Bear Witness to Illegal Gold Mining Operations in the Amazon, New Study Finds

Mercury concentrations in fig trees could provide useful information about mining activity in the rainforest over time

Smithsonian Magazine

16.04.2025

Glowing 'Milky Seas' Have Baffled Sailors for Centuries—New Research Brings Scientists One Step Closer to Solving the Mystery

Historical accounts of vast ocean waters glowing in the dark go back hundreds of years, and researchers are still trying to determine exactly what triggers the phenomenon

Smithsonian Magazine

15.04.2025

Scientists Create Gene-Edited 'Peter Pan' Tadpoles That Could Control Invasive Cane Toads Through Cannibalism

To combat one of Australia’s most troublesome species, researchers are developing hungry tadpoles that never grow up

Smithsonian Magazine

15.04.2025

Crows May Grasp Basic Geometry: Study Finds the Brainy Birds Can Tell the Difference Between Shapes

Scientists tested crows on their ability to recognize “geometric regularity,” a skill previously assumed to be unique to humans

Smithsonian Magazine

15.04.2025

Archaeologists Unearth Intricately Decorated Altar That May Have Been Used for Ancient Sacrifices in Guatemala

Discovered in the ruins of Tikal, the altar sheds light on strained relations between the Maya city and Teotihuacán—which was located more than 600 miles away

Smithsonian Magazine

15.04.2025

At a Massive New David Hockney Retrospective, Spring Never Ends

The exhibition features more than 400 of the 87-year-old artist's works, which are spread throughout the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris

Smithsonian Magazine

12.04.2025

Monet's Stepdaughter Painted Breathtaking Impressionist Masterpieces. They're Finally Getting the Attention They Deserve

Known as the "forgotten Monet," Blanche Hoschedé-Monet created roughly 300 stunning artworks. She's now getting her first-ever solo exhibition in the United States

Smithsonian Magazine

12.04.2025

Mysterious Jawbone Found at an Antique Shop in Taiwan Belonged to a Male Denisovan, Scientists Say

The fossil, called Penghu 1, is one of the few known pieces of physical evidence from the Denisovans, extinct relatives of modern humans. It suggests the species lived in diverse environments

Smithsonian Magazine

12.04.2025

A New Satellite Will Map the Carbon Content of Rainforests From Space, and It's Set to Launch This Month

The European Space Agency’s new probe, Biomass, will spend five years orbiting the planet and gathering radar imagery of forests across multiple continents

Smithsonian Magazine

12.04.2025

A Newly Discovered and Brilliantly Green Comet Is Dazzling Astronomers. Here's What to Know About the Glowing Celestial Visitor

Initial observations suggest the comet, called C/2025 F2 (SWAN), will continue getting brighter as it approaches the sun. Northern Hemisphere viewers with binoculars can currently spot it in early morning skies

Smithsonian Magazine

12.04.2025

7,000-Year-Old Skeletons From the 'Green Sahara' Reveal a Mysterious Human Lineage

Researchers recently sequenced the genomes of two naturally mummified women found in Libya

Smithsonian Magazine

12.04.2025

See the Titanic in Remarkable Detail With a 3D Scan That Reveals New Secrets of the Doomed Ship's Final Moments

A documentary called "Titanic: The Digital Resurrection" will unveil the most detailed digital reconstruction of the shipwreck ever created. Experts are using the model to study the vessel's demise

Smithsonian Magazine

12.04.2025

Windows 95 Jingle, 1960 World Series Broadcast and Other 'Audio Treasures' Added to the National Recording Registry

From a list of 2,600 nominations submitted by the public, the Library of Congress has selected 25 songs, albums and sounds that are at least ten years old to preserve for posterity

Smithsonian Magazine

11.04.2025

No One Knew This Giraffe Was Pregnant—Until She Suddenly Gave Birth to a Healthy Baby Girl

Kipi, a 4-year-old reticulated giraffe and first-time mother, had only been at the Maryland Zoo for a few months when she surprised caretakers with her pregnancy

Smithsonian Magazine

11.04.2025

You Can Enter to Win a Night Inside London's National Gallery

The museum is celebrating the reopening of its Sainsbury Wing, as well as a major refresh of its collection, with an overnight experience for one lucky visitor

Smithsonian Magazine

11.04.2025

Why the World Became So Obsessed With William Morris' Colorful Floral Prints

The British artist's designs appear on mugs, plates, shoes and more. A new exhibition explores how his signature style became so ubiquitous—and how Morris would feel about his 21st-century legacy

home›Smithsonian Magazine›Technology

Smithsonian Magazine - Technology

Now Open in Kansas City, The World's First Barbecue Museum Is a Feast for the Senses

How Well Did the Mysterious Antikythera Mechanism Actually Work?

These Large, Snake-Like Fish Are Invading the United States—and Authorities Want You to Kill Them

How to Watch the Lyrid Meteor Shower at Its Dazzling Peak

Squirrels, Not Monkeys, May Be the Animal Source of Mpox, Researchers Suggest

Fusion Rockets Could Theoretically Cut Our Travel Time to Mars in Half. This U.K. Startup Wants to Give It a Try

Rembrandt's Stunning Sketch of a Lion Will Be Sold at Auction to Fund Wildlife Conservation Efforts

Abraham Lincoln's Blood-Stained Gloves, Early Scribblings and Dozens of Other Belongings Are Going Up for Sale

Watch These Elephants Form an 'Alert Circle' as an Earthquake Shakes San Diego, Protecting Their Young at the Center

See 26 Captivating Images From the World Press Photo Contest

Chemical Hints on a Distant Planet Offer 'Strongest Evidence Yet' for Life Outside Our Solar System, Astronomers Say

Watch Majestic Moose Meander North With This Popular Live Stream From Sweden

Angler Catches 153-Pound Behemoth in Texas Using Ultra-Light Tackle, Likely Setting a New World Record

Hundreds of Looted Ancient Artifacts Confiscated From the Black Market Are Now On Display in Naples

As His 143-Year-Old Church Nears Completion, Architect Antoni Gaudí Is Placed on the Path to Sainthood

A Young Sailor's Remains Return Home 84 Years After He Was Killed at Pearl Harbor

The Moon's Far Side Is Strangely Dry—Lunar Samples Suggest It's Much More Parched Than the Side That Faces Earth

Salmon Are Being Exposed to Our Anti-Anxiety Medication, and It's Making Them Take More Risks, Study Suggests

Check Out the First Confirmed Footage of the Colossal Squid, a Rare and Enigmatic Deep-Sea Species

Rare Watercolor by 'Wuthering Heights' Author Emily Brontë Will Go on Public Display for the First Time

High School Student Discovers 1.5 Million Potential New Astronomical Objects by Developing an A.I. Algorithm

See the 'Fantastical Beasts and Foliage' Featured in These Rare, Newly Discovered Tudor Wall Paintings

Long-Lost 'Merci Train' Given to New Jersey After World War II Has Been Found

Super-Sniffing Rat Sets a New World Record for Discovering Deadly Land Mines—and He's Just Getting Started

Tree Rings Bear Witness to Illegal Gold Mining Operations in the Amazon, New Study Finds

Glowing 'Milky Seas' Have Baffled Sailors for Centuries—New Research Brings Scientists One Step Closer to Solving the Mystery

Scientists Create Gene-Edited 'Peter Pan' Tadpoles That Could Control Invasive Cane Toads Through Cannibalism

Crows May Grasp Basic Geometry: Study Finds the Brainy Birds Can Tell the Difference Between Shapes

Archaeologists Unearth Intricately Decorated Altar That May Have Been Used for Ancient Sacrifices in Guatemala

At a Massive New David Hockney Retrospective, Spring Never Ends

Monet's Stepdaughter Painted Breathtaking Impressionist Masterpieces. They're Finally Getting the Attention They Deserve

Mysterious Jawbone Found at an Antique Shop in Taiwan Belonged to a Male Denisovan, Scientists Say

A New Satellite Will Map the Carbon Content of Rainforests From Space, and It's Set to Launch This Month

A Newly Discovered and Brilliantly Green Comet Is Dazzling Astronomers. Here's What to Know About the Glowing Celestial Visitor

7,000-Year-Old Skeletons From the 'Green Sahara' Reveal a Mysterious Human Lineage

See the Titanic in Remarkable Detail With a 3D Scan That Reveals New Secrets of the Doomed Ship's Final Moments

Windows 95 Jingle, 1960 World Series Broadcast and Other 'Audio Treasures' Added to the National Recording Registry

No One Knew This Giraffe Was Pregnant—Until She Suddenly Gave Birth to a Healthy Baby Girl

You Can Enter to Win a Night Inside London's National Gallery

Why the World Became So Obsessed With William Morris' Colorful Floral Prints

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