Description: Alphonso Lorenzo Jones joined the Smithsonian in 1924 as a mechanic. He retired 41 years later as the chief of the Institution’s duplicating office.
Description: [edan-image:id=siris_arc_287602,size=250,left]As a child in England in the 1930s, Oliver Sacks enjoyed playing with his Uncle Abe’s spinthariscope. It was, he would later recall, “a beautifully simple instrument, consisting of a fluorescent screen and a magnifying eyepiece, and inside, an infinitesimal speck of radium.We take a look at the spinthariscope at the Smithsonian.
Description: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx, from "Egypt, Sinai and Jerusalem" Portfolio, 1858, Francis Frith"][/caption] The first examples of travel photography are almost simultaneous with the invention of photography itself. In 1841, following an extensive trip through the Middle East, wine merchant and early photographer,
Description: The Secretary’s Gold Medal for Exceptional Service was created in 1964 and is the highest honor given to Smithsonian staff for exceptional service over a long period of time. On December 4, 2014, Secretary G. Wayne Clough presented this award to Pam Henson for a lifetime of exceptional service to the Smithsonian Institution. She began her career here in 1973 and has been in
Description: The term “personal equation” came into use in the 19th century as scientists found that observers have inherent biases: some anticipate events, and some report events after they have occurred. Recognition of the problem led to a spate of personal equation instruments: some measured biases of this sort, and some reduced the effect of personal errors. Most of these
Description: [caption id="" align="alignright" width="167" caption="The Mona Lisa, between 1503 and 1505, by Leonardo da Vinci, Oil on poplar, The Louvre Museum."][/caption] Scientists have discovered the secret behind Mona Lisa’s beguiling smile by using x-ray technology [via More Intelligent Life]. And while we're at it, scientists use UV light to reveal how awesomely gaudy the colors of
Description: [caption id="" align="alignright" width="198" caption="Screenshot from music video "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson, Shows use of anti-gravity leaning patent, Courtesy of Wikipedia."][/caption] Umm, this definitely wins the award for my most favorite new discovery in an archive. How did Michael Jackson do that off the hook lean in his dance in “Smooth Criminal”? Apparently
Showing results 1273 - 1284 of 1567 for American Art Deco (Exhibition) (1987: Washington, D.C.)