Smithsonian Magazine

MRI Scans Might Reveal Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease Seven Years Before a Telltale Marker Appears in the Brain

Not all researchers are convinced that the brain changes detected via MRI are robust enough to become a diagnostic tool. But ...
Smithsonian Magazine

‘The Icebergs’ Is One of Frederic Edwin Church’s Most Spectacular Paintings. For Decades, No One Knew Where It Was

In the 1970s, the administrator of a boys' home in England wound up finding the missing 19th-century piece and bringing it ...
Smithsonian Magazine

In 1884, Gale-Force Winds Ran a Ship Aground Near Cape Cod. Now, the Nor’easter Lashing the East Coast May Have Uncovered Part of It

Jason Graziadei, editor in chief of the Nantucket Current, snapped this photo after getting a news tip from a reader. Jason ...
Smithsonian Magazine

In One of Rome’s Most Famed and Neglected Villas, Centuries-Old Risqué Frescoes, Painted Over by Nuns, Have Reappeared

Nearly a year into a $40 million restoration of the Villa Silvestri Rivaldi, conservators are rediscovering and reviving 16th ...
Smithsonian Magazine

Funny Guy

Watch Steve Martin's groundbreaking 1974 appearance on "The Tonight Show" with host Johnny Carson and guest Sammy Davis Jr.
Smithsonian Magazine

Centuries Ago, Royals Dressed Up Their Dolls to Share the Latest Fashions. See How Barbies, Baby Dolls and Other Tiny Trendsetters Have Inspired Designers Ever Since

A new exhibition at the Museum at FIT in New York City showcases more than 170 objects that trace the often-unexpected ...