"God in a cup." "Perfection." "The world's best coffee." Panamanian geisha coffee has been called many things, but never Smithsonian... more

If you’ve bought a plane ticket recently, you’ve probably had the option to pay a few extra dollars to offset... more

It started as a rumor in the cafeteria of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama: monkeys on an island... more

Money is power. But who's on our money - or isn’t - can be just as powerful. While Lady Liberty... more

Did you know a person born on February 29 is called a "leapling"? This special episode is hopping with Leap Day... more

They say love is eternal. What about heartbreak? This Valentine’s Day, we bring you some of Japanese theater’s most popular... more

From brontosauruses with bronchitis to birds on a wire to flying space rocks and a botched heist at 20 thousand... more

As long as there have been wars, animals have joined their human companions on the battlefield. But a few have... more

Virginia Hall dreamed of being America’s first female ambassador. Instead, she became a spy. Joining the ranks of the U.S.’s... more

It’s a song we often hear at the start of the new year. But what does “auld lang syne” even mean? And how... more

North American River Otters are popping up in places they haven't been seen in decades and nobody really knows why.... more

When Maggie Kuhn was forced to retire from the job she loved at age 65, her colleagues gave her a... more

All three Giant Pandas are leaving the Smithsonian's National Zoo for China by the end of the year. What's up... more

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the Smithsonian home to countless... more

Looks like these criminals used correct postage, 'cause justice is about to be delivered. Okay, there are no snappy one-liners... more

Cellphones put the power of the world at our fingertips. With the touch of a finger, you can instantly connect... more

Icky Gunk. Moldy Hay. Kermit. You might recognize one of these names. Before Kermit joined Miss Piggy and Big Bird,... more

Sidedoor returns for its tenth season on Wednesday, September 13th!

In 1860 the fastest way to get a message to a family member, partner, or colleague wasn’t by text but... more

When a 200-year-old legal document anonymously arrived at his office, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives conservator William Bennett assumed it would be full... more

When you imagine the sound of a dinosaur, you probably think of a scene from the Jurassic Park movies. How... more

A Smithsonian researcher has made a discovery we couldn't wait to sink our teeth into — what might be the... more

Before the invention of photography, only the rich could afford to have portraits of themselves. But in the early 1800s,... more

America has a long history of clustering heavy industry and toxic facilities in communities where people of color live. But... more

In 1948, Moses Asch set out with an ambitious project: to document the world’s sounds! 75 years later, that project has grown... more

Women have long fueled America's greatest scientific achievements. But when you go searching for information about these women scientists, you'll... more

Nowhere in the world are lawns as revered as they are in the United States. The picture-perfect patch of grass... more

As a kid, Bill Nye spent whole days wandering the halls of Smithsonian museums. Now the Science Guy is back…... more

Until the 1970s, women were barred from competing in U.S. marathons because of the belief that the "violent movements" would... more

We think of paintings as art, but can they also be a source of data? 300 years ago, a young... more

Most people in North America can't see the Milky Way. The reason? We're ensconced in a luminous fog of artificial lighting... more

When Sidedoor listener Cliff Hall bought a used violin, he found a tattered note tucked alongside the century-old instrument. Obsessed... more

Sidedoor returns for its ninth season on Wednesday, March 1st!

They bring out the voyeur in us. And the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art is full of them. In three... more

In 1983, the Cabbage Patch Kids were released, causing widespread pandemonium in toy stores and in the media. How did... more

This MLK Day we're digging into the story behind Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech —from its first... more

Public monuments to honor Black Americans in the 1930s: that was the vision of Augusta Savage, a Harlem Renaissance sculptor... more

What is it about a mistletoe that says “smooch?” And what the heck is figgy pudding anyway? The holidays are here... more

Known for her smashing parties, lighter-than-air souffles and comedic wit, Lucy Hicks Anderson never let anyone tell her how to... more

If you’ve heard the phrase, “full blooded,” you’re already familiar with the concept of blood quantum. But Native Americans are... more

It took pride, deceit, and a giant catapult to set off the feud between the Wright brothers and the Smithsonian.... more

"I wake up every morning in a house built by slaves." After Michelle Obama said those words at the 2016... more

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the museum home to countless... more

Eating meat is what made us human. At least, that's one of the leading theories to explain how our brains... more

When LOL just isn't enough to respond to a friend's killer joke, emoji are there for you. But for many... more

Dorothy Liebes was a whirlwind in the weaving world. Throughout the 1930s, she spun luxury fabrics so bold and colorful... more

In 19th century Japan, two sumo wrestlers faced down dozens of firefighters in a brawl so epic it inspired a... more

"This is a war not only for the territory. This is war against our culture," says Ihor Poshyvailo, director of... more

As NASA releases the James Webb Space Telescope's first images, we focus our lens on its predecessor: the Hubble Space... more

Which came first, the flag or the song? Sidedoor is celebrating this Independence Day with a special bonus episode: the... more

Nowhere in the world are lawns as revered as they are in the United States. The picture-perfect patch of grass... more

Whether it's live on the Smithsonian’s National Zoo's panda cam or in front of a crowd, possibly no other animal's... more

Sidedoor returns for its eighth season on Wednesday, June 15th!

We’re hard at work producing the next season of Sidedoor, but just in case you can’t get enough Smithsonian podcasts... more

We’re hard at work producing the next season of Sidedoor, but just in case you can’t get enough Smithsonian podcasts,... more

We’re hard at work producing the next season of Sidedoor, but just in case you can’t get enough Smithsonian podcasts,... more

When a 200-year-old legal document anonymously arrived at his office, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives conservator William Bennett assumed it would... more

An accident that nearly killed Beatrice Kenner when she was five years old scarred her face for life, but it... more

Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. At least, that's what we were taught in school. But when historians go searching… there’s no proof to... more

Baseball fan or not, you know this song…or at least, you think you do. “Take Me Out to the Ball... more

Before here was here Raven was a white bird, and the world was in darkness. So begins the story passed down... more

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream Speech is one of the most famous speeches in the world.... more

It’s easy to think artificial intelligence is objective. It doesn’t have emotions. It operates based on cold hard calculations. But... more

A skill for brewing beer and $100 reward for her capture. Those were the clues in an old newspaper ad... more

In 1890, Americans were delighted when they heard the news that Thomas Edison was using his phonograph technology to give... more

When Chiura Obata painted “Moonlight Over Topaz, Utah,” he was a prisoner at the camp: one of 120,000 Japanese Americans... more

When LOL just isn't enough to respond to a friend's killer joke, emoji are there for you. But for many... more

There’s a new sculpture at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: a giant torch that’s strikingly familiar – and... more

It’s a wild herb that countless cultures have used for centuries as a wonder drug to cure any ailment. It's... more

Leeches don’t get a lot of love. They’re slimy, wriggly, and, well, they suck — blood that is. But there’s... more

The endangered Asian Elephant may be a conservation success story as its rapid decline appears to be stabilizing. But this... more

Sidedoor returns for its seventh season on Wednesday, October 6th!

A new season of Sidedoor is just two weeks away! In the meantime, we’re sharing a special guest episode from... more

The “Men of Progress” painting, from 1862, shows the first Secretary of the Smithsonian surrounded by a group of scientists... more

This summer – for the first time ever - skateboarding will be an Olympic sport. In honor of its Olympic... more

100 years ago, in the hills of West Virginia, Black, white and European immigrant coal miners banded together to demand... more

Every 17 years, the notorious Brood X cicadas crawl out of the earth by the billions to deafen Washington D.C.... more

When Diosa Costello took the stage in the 1939 production of “Too Many Girls,” she became the first Puerto Rican... more

LeRoy Neiman was a colorful man, both figuratively and literally. His handlebar mustache, long cigar, and sketchpad were fixtures at... more

One hundred years ago this week, from May 31 and June 1, 1921, a mob targeted and destroyed nearly 40... more

Groucho and Freddy. Oryx and ostriches. Cats and dinosaurs. These things go together like… well, they really don’t go together... more

We carry portraits around all the time: pocket-sized history lessons in the form of dollars and cents. The recent decision... more

In 1918, a flu pandemic killed more than 50 million people worldwide. Forty years later, it nearly happened again. This... more

Henrietta the river herring is not a particularly glamorous fish. But she’s got grit. Every summer, she swims out to... more

Every spring, for as long as records have been kept, a crowd of hundreds of black crowned night herons descend... more

When Lena Richard cooked her first chicken on television, she beat Julia Child to the screen by over a decade. At a... more

American newspaper publisher and all-around eccentric, Charles Francis Hall, was an unlikely candidate to become an Arctic explorer. Nevertheless, he... more

As Americans approach a full year of pandemic life, there’s an overwhelming sense of anticipation: when can we get vaccinated?... more

If you’ve heard the phrase, “full blooded,” you’re already familiar with the concept of blood quantum. But Native Americans are... more

As an up-and-coming young blues singer in the 1950s, Barbara Dane faced a choice: fame and fortune, or her principles.... more

Wonder Woman is the best known female superhero of all time, but she’s been through a lot. The brainchild of a psychologist, Wonder Woman hit... more

In 1890, Americans were delighted when they heard the news that Thomas Edison was using his phonograph technology to give... more

This week, we have an episode from the NHPR podcast “Outside/In” about passenger pigeons. The passenger pigeon is one of... more

This week, we’re sharing an episode of ‘Detours,’ a new podcast from our friends at GBH and PRX. The podcast... more

When a highly-contagious mystery illness spread through the world’s mountain gorilla population, biologists feared the entire species could be lost.... more

Dress codes have been around a long time—from the old days of long skirts and bloomers to today’s regulation-length shorts.... more

When Abigail Washburn and Wu Fei first jammed together, “it was magic.” Fei was shocked to meet an American banjo... more

To look at them, you might think, “Monarch butterflies aren’t going anywhere fast.” But each year, these beauties complete one... more

Bonus Episode | This week, we wanted to share “And Nothing Less,” the new short series from our colleagues at... more

Fred Tutman is the voice of the river. Specifically, Maryland’s Patuxent River.  As the Riverkeeper, his job is to protect... more

100 years ago this month, the 19th Amendment was ratified into the American Constitution. It’s widely remembered as the moment... more

On November 14, 1969, just four months after Apollo 11’s “giant leap for mankind,” the Apollo 12 Saturn V rocket... more

Baseball fan or not, you know this song…or at least, you think you do. “Take Me Out to the Ball... more

When Mimi Knoop entered her first skateboarding competition at 24 years old, she never anticipated leaving her mark on the... more

When Lena Richard cooked her first chicken on television, she beat Julia Child to the screen by over a decade. At a... more

In 2017, a photograph of Harriet Tubman surfaced that had been lost to history for more than a century. In... more

To look at them, you might think, “Monarch butterflies aren’t going anywhere fast.” But each year, these beauties complete one... more

A perplexing tattoo. Ancient erotica. Killer bees on the loose. This episode is full of short stories we’ve been eager... more

Three billion birds have gone missing since 1970. And conservation biologist Pete Marra considers it his life’s work to make... more

Virginia Hall dreamed of being America’s first female ambassador. Instead, she became a spy. Joining the ranks of the U.S.’s... more

Alexander von Humboldt might not be a name you know, but you can bet you know his ideas. Back when... more

In the Venn diagram of life, it’s hard to imagine what spacecraft and women’s underwear might have in common. And... more

Get ready for season five! Our new season begins on Wednesday, March 4th. Journey with Lizzie through our many side... more

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III is no administrative assistant. He’s the head of the largest museum, education, and research... more

Nearly 100 years ago, Charles Ponzi stumbled across a loophole in the international postal system and turned it into one... more

Deep within the National Museum of American History’s vaults is a battered Atari case containing what’s known as “the worst... more

Edmonia Lewis was the first American woman of color to achieve international fame as a sculptor. Her 3,000-pound masterwork, “The... more

When professional athletes face the end of their career, many look ahead with uncertainty and wonder: “What’s next?” But when Adam... more

On November 14, 1969, just four months after Apollo 11’s “giant leap for mankind,” the Apollo 12 Saturn V rocket... more

In its heyday, dynamite was a transformative tool; it could blast rock quarries, excavate tunnels, and demolish buildings with power... more