Smithsonian Stories

Stories that spark curiosity from the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex.

A large ship steams ahead on the open ocean.
Smithsonian Story

Ocean Invaders

Species travel around the world stowed away on ships, impacting ecosystems and industry.
Gloved hand drilling hole into batches of eggs.
Smithsonian Story

The U.S. Dodged a Bird Flu Pandemic in 1957 Thanks to Eggs and Dumb Luck

With a new strain spreading fast, will Americans get lucky again?
A photo of an asteroid with a rocky, dusty surface.
Smithsonian Story

Bennu Asteroid Reveals Its Contents to Scientists

The asteroid provides clues to how the building blocks of life on Earth may have been seeded.
Two men stand on a wooden platform in front of a crowd of people.
Smithsonian Story

A Brief History of Presidential Inaugural Speeches

On the first Inauguration Day, George Washington gave a speech and future presidents have followed suit.  
A plane dumps water onto a burning hillside
Smithsonian Story

Firefighting with Ocean Water

Smithsonian research gives insight into firefighting with saltwater and its impacts.
A hand holds a dead bird over a white counter.
Meet a Scientist

Carla Dove and the Bird Detectives

A unique lab at the National Museum of Natural History investigates interactions between birds and aircrafts.
A big pool of muddy water surrounded by small homes and a white pickup truck that's angled into a ditch.
Smithsonian Story

A Race Against Time to Protect the Historical Record

Learn how the Smithsonian provides guidance and resources to help families salvage their damaged belongings.
This composite image features the remnant of a supernova explosion, which resembles a neon purple mushroom.
Smithsonian Story

The Smithsonian’s Top Scientific Achievements of 2024 

Explore seven exciting science stories from across the Smithsonian.
Artistic representation of the Hinode spacecraft with the Earth and sun in background.
Meet a Scientist

Seeing the Unseeable

An astrophysicist builds technology to answer questions about the sun.
Black and white illustration of two men and a woman looking at a map on the wall.
Smithsonian Story

From Forecasting Pioneers to Climate Innovators

The Smithsonian has been at the forefront of weather research since its founding.
Closeup of a river otter face.
Meet a Scientist

On the Hunt for Parasites

An ecologist’s passion for parasites leads her to study river otter behavior along the Chesapeake Bay.
A woman in front of a building working on a garden.
Meet a Scientist

A Garden Museum

A horticulturalist lets plants tell the story at the National Museum of the American Indian.
Kali Holder headshot with protective glasses on.
Meet a Scientist

Gaining Lessons on Life from an Animal Death

A veterinary pathologist approaches the job with humor and compassion. 
black and white image of leeches
Smithsonian Story

Discovering the World’s Creepy-Crawlies

Finding and describing the world’s bugs and worms.
Allen Collins holds up a small container with a tiny jellyfish.
Meet a Scientist

Exploring the Diversity of Jellyfish

Painful stings don’t stop this scientist from describing new jellyfish species.
Carlos Jaramillo stands in front of a bridge over the Panama Canal on a cloudy day.
Meet a Scientist

A Fossil Community in the Tropics

A scientist in Panama builds a paleontological community from scratch.
An illustrated document in black and white that says 'WIDE AWAKE CLUB' and whose central image shows crowds and troops before th
Smithsonian Story

Disinformation and the Civil War

What can the media environment of the past tell us about today?
Tim Rose sits on the edge of a large hole in the ground.
Meet a Scientist

Geology Can Be More than Just Rocks

Meet a geologist who analyzes everything from flea fossils to asteroids in support of all science.
engraving of Congress
Smithsonian Story

American Revolutionaries and Patriotism

When modern Americans call themselves patriots, they are evoking a sentiment that is 250 years old.
Black and white photo of a balloon ascending
Smithsonian Story

Shaping Innovation in the United States

Learn how the Smithsonian has supported our nation’s historic scientific innovations.
Gonzalo Gonzalez Abad stands in front of a telescope at Harvard.
Meet a Scientist

A Physicist on a Social Mission

Gonzalo Gonzalez Abad works with the TEMPO space probe to measure pollution across the United States.
Two teak mid-century modern chairs sit on a black background.
Smithsonian Story

Do Debates Matter?

Bobbleheads, Magic 8 Balls, chairs, and other artifacts help us understand the past and present. 
A small black circle surrounded by fiery red and orange colors.
Smithsonian Story

Distant "Little Red Dots" Are a Mystery to Scientists

Smithsonian astrophysicists are working understand what these far away objects are.
A metal craft with two solar pans on the sides shown against the Sun.
Smithsonian Story

Solar Probes Help Researchers Understand What Gives Solar Wind Its Energy

The source of solar wind's energy hasn't been known—until now.

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