Description: In the spring of 1846, after years of debate, the legislative logjam over what the Smithsonian would be was finally broken with compromise legislation by New York Congressman, William Jervis Hough.
Description: We thought our work was done when a social media follower helped us identify our popular “unidentified male model” as German naturalist Emil Bessels. Then we discovered he may have murdered his captain during the 1871–73 Polaris Expedition.
Description: [edan-image:id=siris_arc_391595,size=300,left]Theodore Nicholas Gill, “Ichthyobranchius”, was many things: an ichthyologist, law student, professor of zoology, Senior Assistant Librarian of Congress, member of the Megatherium Club, and as Robert Kennicott described him “about the oddest fish I’ve come across.” His contributions to science were remarkable, producing more than
Description: A find for early animation - Archivists at Norway's National Library discovered a missing animation film, Empty Socks, about Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a Disney precursor to Mickey Mouse. [via The National Library of Norway]A fascinating look at the workshop of Kenji Yamaguchi, a National Geographic employee who builds camera contraptions for their photographers. [via Proof,