Description: In celebration of over a century of volunteer contributions at the Smithsonian, explore the work of some stellar volunteers from our collection.
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: This is the latest post in our "Hot Topix" series. In each quarterly edition we show you what the reference team has been up to, and bring you some of the more notable inuqires we have received.Vicarious research is one of the great joys of the reference desk at the Smithsonian Institution Archives. From our front-row (well, only-row) seat outside the reading room, we catch
Description: Each week, the Archives features a woman who has been a groundbreaker at the Smithsonian, past or present, in a series titled Wonderful Women Wednesday.
Description: The historical legacy of amatuer photographer Julian Papin Scott (1877-1961) is far greater than was acknowledged at the time, because of both who he photographed and how he set up the images.