Description: Biological anthropologist Dr. Habiba Chirchir, Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, researches the evolution of human and non-human primate bone density patterns to ascertain whether there are unique patterns of trabecular bone density among closely related species. #Groundbreaker
Description: Preservation intern discusses working with oversize materials in the Archives collection, including information on the creation of custom enclosures, surface cleaning of blueprints, and humidification.
Description: Physical scientist Nicole Little, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, researches the quantification of heavy metals in historic human bone as well as the identification of corrosion products for museums from across the Smithsonian. #Groundbreaker
Description: Donald J. Ortner, Division of Physical Anthropology museum technician, demonstrates use of equipment to study mineral concentration in bone on William H. Crocker, associate curator in the Division of Cultural Anthropology at the Museum of Natural History, MNH-1498D.
Description: In 1956, Helena M. Weiss received a letter asking for information about “how to capture them, also how to raise them… what to put them in, also what to feed them.” Interestingly, the letter-writer neglected to specify what he or she meant by “them,” leaving Weiss only to guess what exactly the inquiry was referring to. From 1948 to 1956, Weiss was Chief of the Office of
Description: 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 tantalizing glimpses of our patrons’ manifold research topics.The reference team fields around 6,000 queries per year. Ask us what people have been researching recently, and you’ll get into some
Description: A look at taxidermist turned conservationist William Temple Hornaday's "Extermination Series" highlighting the environmental impact of man on North American mammals.
Description: With the ongoing reorganization of the map cases at the Archives, collections containing panoramic photographs, drawings, and maps require unique housing that provides adequate support when storing and handling.
Description: Today is the first day of winter. Not ready for the cold weather? It could always be worse. Ornithologist (and future tropical biologist) Neal Griffith Smith once wrote in his journal:"Still pensil [sic]. Well, I've got time and temperature to write. Just sharpened the pensil with a snow knife. We are parked smack in the middle of Southampton [Island] in a bloody windstorm. It