Why Iceland’s Christmas Witch Is Much Cooler (and Scarier) Than Krampus
With roots dating back to the 13th century, Gryla is not to be messed with
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This Cult Classic Christmas Special Is Quintessential Jim Henson
Although it features few of the usual Muppets, ‘Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas’ brings the holiday spirit to the whole family
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Russia’s Top 4 Business Risks in 2018 (Op-ed)
Sanctions, infighting between the elite and popular protests could all make Russia a more difficult place for foreign business next year
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Around the Globe, Revered Artist Ferdinand Hodler Receives His Due, the Portrait Gallery Joins In
A swirl of dance portraits complement a single Swiss loan of Hodler’s Italian dancer
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Made in Russia: the Kremlin Wants to Replace Foreign Tech
Russia wants to create its own equivalents of the 77 companies abroad it imports from
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There’s Still a Huge Influx of Foreign Cash to Russia
Sanctions and plummeting relations with the West did little to deter an influx of foreign cash
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These Photos of the Abandoned Domino Sugar Refinery Document Its Sticky History
A new photography book uncovers the last days (and lasting legacy) of a New York institution
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The Ten Stories You Didn’t Read in 2017 But Should Have
From music behind prison bars to a San Francisco building with a dark past, here are the top 10 pieces we published last year that deserve another look
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The Ten Best Children’s Books of 2017
Our picks are full of silly words, weird animals and unknown histories
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Gone at 27 and Eternally Youthful For the Ages, Jimi Hendrix Would Have Been 75 This Year
A gold-brocade vest at the Smithsonian evokes the innovative musician’s enduring legacy
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A Plea to Resurrect the Christmas Tradition of Telling Ghost Stories
Though the practice is now more associated with Halloween, spooking out your family is well within the Christmas spirit
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This Russian Doomsayer Doesn’t Believe in Banks, But He Runs One
“If you tell me that you need to build a bank, then don’t come to me or our team.”
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What the Robots of Star Wars Tell Us About the Future of Human Work
The films’ much-loved robots exist mostly to assist rather than replace humans—and like us, they are prone to errors
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Putinomics Loses Its Power as Stagnation Starts Reign in Russia
The economy of the world’s biggest energy exporter is stalling without enough investment
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The Incredible Linguistic Diversity of Tibet Is Disappearing
Thanks to national schooling and the Internet, many of the plateau’s unique languages are in danger
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Russia’s Maverick Tech Prodigy Durov Says His $5 Billion App Telegram Can’t Be Bought
Even half-naked on Tinder, where he just popped up, Pavel Durov loves to play hard to get
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Skyscraper City Becomes a Citadel of Putin’s State Capitalism
With the economy besieged by sanctions and some of its biggest companies becoming pariahs in western capital markets, Russia is cramming the high-rises with ministries and the biggest state firms
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Was Enrico Fermi Really the “Father of the Nuclear Age”?
A new book takes a fresh look at the famed scientist
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Russia Said to Be Ready to Sign Pact on Resuming Cairo Flights
The pact would mark the first easing of Moscow’s ban on air travel since terrorists blew up a Russian passenger jet over the Sinai Peninsula
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A New Way to Show Your Devotion in Mexico City: Wear a T-Shirt
A Smithsonian folklorist makes the pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and discovers an emerging tradition
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Nizhny Novgorod Tops Priciest World Cup Accommodation Ranking
Nizhny Novgorod, which will host Argentina and England during the group stage, has topped a new ranking of the most expensive World Cup cities in terms of accommodation
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Putin, Sisi Set to Finalize $30 Billion Nuclear Deal, Boost Ties
Vladimir Putin is due to meet his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo on Monday.
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Cyber Heist Linked to Russians Targets Banks From Moscow to Utah
Russia, considered a hotbed of government-backed information attacks, increasingly finds itself a victim of cybercrime
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Don’t Miss These 10 New Art and Design Exhibits Opening This Winter
Explore everything from artistic chairs to underground magazines this season
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An Extravagant New Tribute to the Rise of Portraiture 600 Years Ago
The artist takes 21st century technology and culture to a 15th century aesthetic
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Russian Businessmen Who Accepted State Support Risk U.S. Sanctions
Did you accept $300 million or more? You might be at risk of sanctions
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Russian Railways Passenger Lines to Bypass Ukraine
The construction was a priority for the Kremlin and has ended a year ahead of schedule
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People Are Lying on the Floor To See this Dazzling Ceiling Puzzle
The work pays homage to the vaulted domes, ornate Italianate arches and Art Deco geometric forms of nine of the nation’s historic ceilings
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The Ten Best History Books of 2017
From presidential biographies to a look at the long rise of fake news, these picks will surely interest history buffs
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Turning Hurricane Data Into Music
Can listening to storms help us understand them better? A meteorologist and a music technologist think so
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When ‘The Graduate’ Opened 50 Years Ago, It Changed Hollywood (and America) Forever
The movie about a young man struggling to find his way in the world mesmerized the nation when it debuted
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How Anthony Daniels Gives C-3PO an Unlikely Dash of Humanity
The fussy but brave “protocol droid” plays the role of the Greek chorus in the Star Wars franchise
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Designer of the Smithsonian Sunburst Logo Dies
Ivan Chermayeff was a brilliant designer, a gifted artist and the purveyor of a unique visual language, says Smithsonian curator Ellen Lupton
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John Travolta’s Breakout Hit Was America’s Best Dance Party
It’s been 40 years since ‘Saturday Night Fever’—a gritty film powered by music, machismo and masterful footwork—became a cultural phenomenon
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What Archaeologists and Historians Are Finding About the Heroine of a Beloved Young Adult Novel
New scholarship reveals details about the Native American at the center of the classic Island of the Blue Dolphins
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The Ten Best Travel Books of 2017
These reads will remedy even the direst cases of wanderlust
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This Artist Painted With Light. An Admiring Astronomer Helped Make Him a Star
The works and machinations of Thomas Wilfred, a lone performer, inventor and visionary, are now on view
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Maverick Music Takes Center Stage in This New Play on Nina Simone
A Smithsonian expert delves into the song and struggle at the heart of ‘Four Women’ at D.C.’s Arena Stage
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Is There Humanity to Be Found Within Serial Killers?
A new book tells the complex stories behind murderous women, the so-called “femmes fatales.”
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Gulliver’s Travels Wasn’t Meant to Be a Children’s Book And More Things You Didn’t Know About the Literary Classic
Even now, 350 years after his birth, the great Irish satirist Jonathan Swift remains as sharp and relevant as ever
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Gulliver’s Travels Wasn’t Mean to Be a Children’s Book And More Things You Didn’t Know About the Literary Classic
Even now, 350 years after his birth, the great Irish satirist Jonathan Swift remains as sharp and relevant as ever
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A Trip Inspired by ‘Murder on the Orient Express’
On the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the murder mystery is not included
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Ava Duvernay’s Visionary Filmmaking Is Reshaping Hollywood
Her eye for American history puts her in the vanguard. Her passion for justice makes her a hero
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Why the Team Behind Sesame Street Created a Character With Autism
The bravest new face on television is a Muppet that doesn’t say much. But she speaks volumes about life on the spectrum
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These Shooting Stars of Broadway Staged the Impossible: A Musical About ‘War and Peace’
Dave Malloy and Rachel Chavkin brought the Tolstoy epic to life with Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
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What Makes John Legend America’s Most Versatile Artist
Songwriter, singer, actor, producer, virtual reality maven. John Legend is an entertainment all-star
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Marley Dias’ Inspirational Goal to Collect Books About Girls of Color
What can we learn from a 12-year-old who’s turning the literary world upside down? Everything
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The Ten Best Photography Books of 2017
These eye-opening works invite us to find ourselves in history and nature
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Mark Bradford’s Paintings Scratch at the Surface of a Conflicted America
The Hirshhorn Museum hosts the artist’s first solo show in Washington
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A Mexican Painter Changed by the City, Changes Art
“In New York, I went berserk over painting,” said Rufino Tamayo, whose works are now on view in a new retrospective
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‘The Problem with Apu’ Does More Than Pick Apart a ‘Simpsons’ Stereotype
This new documentary tackles Asian representation in media with humor and poise
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The Invisible Way That Marketers Set the Menu for Your Thanksgiving Feast
Advertising from decades ago put in place the traditions we hold dear each year
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Why You Won’t See Pudding on the Thanksgiving Table
The once-classic American dish has been widely replaced with the casserole—thanks in part to anti-immigrant sentiments
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Did Disney Pixar Get Day of the Dead Celebrations Right in Its New Film ‘Coco’?
Smithsonian folklorist Cynthia Vidaurri says: “It’s complicated”
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The Ten Best Books About Food of 2017
Hungry minds would enjoy one of these illuminating books about the world of food and drink
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The Ten Best Board Games of 2017
Want to be a hit at your next party or family gathering? Bring a board game.
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What the Housing Market in America Needs Is More Options
From granny pods to morphing apartments, the future of shelter is evolving
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How This Artist’s Archival Discovery Sparked High-Tech Art
A photograph from a Smithsonian archives piqued Jordan Bennett’s creativity; his work is part of a new exhibition that explores technology and tradition
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A Brief History of “Alice’s Restaurant”
The Arlo Guthrie classic starts off retelling the true story of what happened more than 50 years ago
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Thirteen Books That Informed and Delighted Smithsonian Scholars This Year
With a mission to increase and diffuse knowledge, Smithsonian thought leaders are voracious readers
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