Smithsonian Magazine

11/29/2025

From culinary history to climate-focused eating to the stories behind the dishes we love, this year’s best food books offer a richer way to understand what’s on our plates. These ten standout titles highlight new voices, global traditions, and fresh perspectives shaping the future of food writing.

Dig into the books that shaped the food conversation this year: https://bit.ly/4ojTwdu

📸 Illustration by Emily Lankiewicz

11/29/2025

Charleston lives at the crossroads of story and landscape. Step into Charleston’s rich past and wild coastal beauty.

Enjoy this collection of images of the coastal city from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

11/29/2025

George Harrison died on this day in 2001, but there was a time he paid a visit to a small town in southern Illinois.

The Beatles guitarist visited his sister in southern Illinois just months before he'd become world famous

11/29/2025

Old-time fiddle music has a long, surprising history in Indigenous Alaska. Introduced through trade routes and cultural exchange, the sound blended with Alaska Native traditions to create something new — a musical style rooted in community gatherings, storytelling, and resilience. Today, that legacy continues through musicians who carry the tradition forward while putting their own stamp on it. https://bit.ly/48JxbjZ

📸 Marc Brown

11/29/2025

Researchers have found 16 canoes in Lake Mendota, a 9,781-acre body of water in Madison. Based on the number of canoes and the location of the site, archaeologists suspect the vessels were intentionally stashed there so that anyone could use them for navigating the region’s waterways.

The team has several theories about how Indigenous groups created and used the vessels, which were discovered during research over the past five years

11/29/2025

In Australia, hundreds of bagpipers gathered for a loud, joyful Guinness World Record attempt — channeling the kind of high-energy spirit that would make any AC/DC fan feel a little thunderstruck. Musicians from across the country joined together in one booming performance, blending tradition with pure rock-level enthusiasm.

Take a closer look at the record attempt, bringing big sound and even bigger energy: https://bit.ly/4rq2DMu

📸 Asanka Ratnayake / Getty Images

11/29/2025

For nearly 200 years, a historic painting hung inside a church in Teposcolula, Mexico, until it was stolen in 2001 and quietly disappeared into private hands. Now, after more than two decades and a cross-border investigation, the artwork is finally being returned to its original community.

Take a closer look at the remarkable journey behind the painting’s return: https://bit.ly/4pedPu7

📸 Morton Subastas

11/29/2025

While surveying the Southern Ocean, researchers uncovered an array of bizarre deep-sea life, species so unusual they’re rarely seen outside of submersible cameras. Living thousands of feet below the surface, these animals thrive in a frigid, high-pressure world where evolution takes some truly unexpected turns.

Take a closer look at the strange and spectacular life hiding in the deep: https://bit.ly/3KlDgKZ

📸 The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census/Schmidt Ocean Institute

11/29/2025

In the cockpit of the F-15 Eagle, César Rodriguez mastered an aircraft built for dominance—and, in the process, forged one of America’s most notable combat records. His career offers a rare inside look at the pilots, technology, and split-second decisions that define modern aerial combat.

A retired fighter pilot watches his jet roar through the sky one last time.

11/29/2025

Researchers have now identified the names of five million people murdered during the Holocaust — a decades-long effort to restore individual identities erased by genocide. Through records, testimonies, and archival materials, this work aims to ensure each victim is remembered not as a statistic, but as a life with a name, a history, and a story.

Learn more about the work being done to preserve these names and honor their lives: https://bit.ly/3XgXjxf

📸 Gil Cohen Magen / Xinhua / Getty Images

11/28/2025

When a woman gets behind the wheel of a car in the United States, she’s statistically more likely than a man to be injured or die if the vehicle crashes. Now, the federal government aims to reduce that risk by introducing an advanced female crash test dummy.

The government approved the specifications of THOR-05F, marking a first step toward the government and manufacturers potentially using the dummy in future car safety tests. But it still represents only the smallest women in the United States

11/28/2025

The TV dinner started as a clever solution to a massive surplus of frozen turkey — and it ended up reshaping how Americans ate, watched TV, and thought about convenience. From the iconic compartment tray to the rise of ready-made meals, this mid-century invention became a cultural touchstone long before microwaves took over.

Take a closer look at the meal that defined dinnertime for a generation: https://bit.ly/4ilvkG4

📸 Evan Angelastro