Smithson was one of the first researchers to systematically categorize calamine—or zinc as it was later called. In 1832, three years after Smithson’s death, French mineralogist François Sulpice ...

A new analysis from researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History reveals that nearly half of the genus Heliconia, a group of tropical plants popular for their bright, ...

Roxie Laybourne, a Smithsonian bird expert, invented the science of using feathers to solve bird-related mysteries. On the Sidedoor podcast episode "The Feather Detective," we revisit some of Roxie's ...

Women have always been leaders in the field of public health. Today, they comprise 76% of all healthcare workers in the United States. They serve as caretakers, doctors, administrators, researchers, ...