Smithsonian Leader Who Helped Launch the American Indian Museum Dies at 91
With a mission to create a diverse and dynamic Smithsonian, Robert McCormick Adams is remembered as an intense but humble leader
After Claims of Animal Cruelty, Can the Circus Survive?
At the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo, performers and managers weigh in on the 250-year-old tradition and its fate
Five Whimsical Words of the Winter Olympics, from ‘Skeleton’ to ‘Salchow’
The sports are hard. The words are harder. We’re here to help
Look at the High-Tech Gear Olympians Will Be Wearing
From jackets heated with electronic ink to personal airbags for skiers, these are some of the most innovative wearables you’ll be seeing in PyeongChang
Your Brain Knows What Songs Are For, No Matter Where They Came From
Researchers find that people easily recognize lullabies and dance songs from around the world
The Ugliest Sculpture Ever, Says the Portrait Gallery’s Director
A bizarre sculpture of a baby Hercules strangling two snakes set this art historian on a course of discovery
Have Scientists Found a Greener Way To Make Blue Jeans?
An engineered strain of E. coli bacteria can produce a precursor to synthetic indigo using fewer nasty chemicals than traditional methods
Why Is Some Art So Bad That It’s Good?
Sometimes a work of art is characterized by a string of failures, but nonetheless ends up being a gorgeous freak accident of nature
In 1968, When Nixon Said “Sock it To Me” on Laugh-In, TV Was Never Quite the Same Again
The show’s rollicking one-liners and bawdy routines paved the way for Saturday Night Live and other cutting-edge television satire
Why Nancy Reagan’s Sense of Style Wasn’t Appreciated
Like Jackie and Dolley before her, Nancy Reagan brought her own unique style to the White House. But economic times were tough
The TV Show ‘Black Lightning’ Gives the Superhero World a Jolt of Social Justice
For the protagonist of WB’s new comic book show, community and family come first
The True Story of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace”
Did the designer meet his killer seven years earlier?
What the Batmobile Tells Us About the American Dream
Fans of DC Comics will go batty for this new installation at the National Museum of American History
Russia’s Top 3 Business Stories This Week
Cryptocurrency, Reserve Fund and a looong winter break
How Women Broke Into the Male-Dominated World of Cartoons and Illustrations
A new exhibition at the Library of Congress highlights female artists and their contributions to comic strips, magazine covers and political cartoons
The Specter of Kaspersky Looms Over Russian Cybersecurity Firms
The controversy embroiling Kaspersky Lab could spoil its competitors’ chances abroad
How Graffiti Artists Used iPhones and Paint to Transform the Beatles’ Ashram
Miles Toland describes how he captured Indian street scenes on his phone and recreated them as giant murals that same day
Three Architecture Projects That Will Build Community and Address Inequality This Year
These projects set to be completed this year are geared toward strengthening communities that have been left out of the economic recovery
January Happenings At the Smithsonian
Blow away winter blues with our recommended list of film, lectures, concerts and more
Rage Against the Machine
A short story reimagines the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the chaos that shocked the world
America’s First “Food Spy” Traveled the World Hunting for Exotic Crops
A new book details the life of adventurer-botanist David Fairchild
Teen Idol Frankie Lymon’s Tragic Rise and Fall Tells the Truth About 1950s America
The mirage of the singer’s soaring success echoes the mirage of post-war tranquility at home
How Science is Peeling Back the Layers of Ancient Lacquer Sculptures
These rare Buddhist artworks were found to contain traces of bone and blood
The Ashram Where the Beatles Sought Enlightenment
Beach Boys singer Mike Love recalls what it was like to be at the Indian locale, which remains a destination for fans of music and meditation
The Remarkable Influence of A Wrinkle in Time
How the Madeleine L’Engle novel liberated young adult literature
Thomas Edison’s Forgotten Sci-Fi Novel
By feeding his visions for the future to a well-regarded contemporary, the prolific inventor offered a peek into his brilliant mind
It’s Still Christmas in Armenia
The holiday celebrations continue through January 13. Here’s what to cook to keep the festivities going.
Russia’s Oil Friendship With China Makes Crude Costly for Europe
After a glut sparked the biggest price crash in a generation and starved Russia of oil revenues, the nation sought to boost market share in the world’s top importer
The Science of Silence in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’
The soundless lightspeed attack that baffled some fans was actually the film’s most scientifically accurate moment
How Mickalene Thomas Is Ushering in a New Wave of Contemporary Art
The celebrated portraitist’s glittering images of black women upend tradition
Fifty Years Ago, Protesters Took on the Miss America Pageant and Electrified the Feminist Movement
The star-spangled event became a surprise battleground in the fight for women’s rights and racial equality
India to Pay $197 Mln for Russian-Made Precision Bombs
Russia’s overall trade with India has increased by more than 15 percent in the last five years
Russia Posts Highest-Ever Natural Gas Output in Expansion Drive
Gazprom meets more than a third of Europe’s demand for natural gas.
Russia Tightens Oil Grip in Top Market China
Russia pipped Saudi Arabia most of last year as the top crude supplier to China, the world’s biggest buyer.