The Best of Smithsonian Magazine
20+ most popular Smithsonian Magazine articles, as voted by our community.
Official Twitter feed for Smithsonian magazine. @ replies may be reprinted in the magazine. Legal: http://si.edu/Termsofuse
Trending
These are currently making the rounds on Refind.
Hydrogen-Powered Passenger Trains Are Now Running in Germany
They're expected to keep some 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere each year
Why a New Robin Hood Arises Every Generation
Troubled times always bring out the noble bandit who, in the face of tyranny and corruption, robs from the rich to give back to the people
Hollywood's First Professional Stuntwoman Jumped From Planes and Swung Onto Trains
Dubbed "the most daring actress in pictures," Helen Gibson rose to fame in the 1910s
When Did Clothing Originate?
An archaeologist traces the invention and evolution of apparel using climate data and tailoring tools
Smithsonian Magazine on Art
You'll Need a Microscope to See These Miniature Masterpieces
Sometimes painted with a single eyelash, Willard Wigan's tiny sculptures fit in the eye of a needle
Banksy Reveals Seven Murals Throughout War-Torn Ukraine
The news comes amid speculation about the anonymous graffiti artist's whereabouts
Smithsonian Magazine on Board Games
The Best Board Games of 2022
Players of all ages will have to make room in their closets for these selections
The Best Board Games of the Ancient World
Thousands of years before Monopoly, people were playing games like Senet, Patolli and Chaturanga
Smithsonian Magazine on Fun Facts
Smithsonian Magazine on Gaslighting
'Gaslighting' Is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year
Searches for the term, defined as the "practice of grossly misleading someone," skyrocketed in 2022
Smithsonian Magazine on History
The Ancient Origins of the Easter Bunny
A scholar traces the folk figure's history from the Neolithic era to today
«celebrate themes of resurrection and rebirth. The flowers are blooming, birds are laying eggs and baby bunnies are hopping about.»
14 Fun Facts About Roller Coasters
For starters, one of the oldest coasters in America carried coal before it carried passengers
Smithsonian Magazine on Nature
After Dinosaurs Went Extinct, These Ten Giant Creatures Roamed the Earth
Though we often think of the “terrible lizards” as behemoths, many later reptiles and mammals also grew to massive sizes
Busted and Broken Fossils Show How Dinosaurs Fought
From locking horns to biting each other in the face, this is how dinos of the same species battled
Smithsonian Magazine on Science
Can a ‘Fingerprint’ of Your Brain Help Predict Disorders?
Using new medical imaging techniques, researchers are working to identify early signs of developmental disorders and mental illness
The Ten Most Significant Science Stories of 2021
Thrilling discoveries, hurdles in the fight against Covid and advancements in space exploration defined the past year
Smithsonian Magazine on Spirituality
The Indian Guru Who Brought Eastern Spirituality to the West
A new biography explores the life of Vivekananda, a Hindu ascetic who promoted a more inclusive vision of religion
Smithsonian Magazine on Stress
How to Deal With Work Stress and Recover From Burnout
These evidence-based strategies can help you achieve healthy work-life balance
Popular
These are some all-time favorites with Refind users.
When Coal First Arrived, Americans Said 'No Thanks'
Back in the 19th century, coal was the nation's newfangled fuel source—and it faced the same resistance as wind and solar today
What Ever Happened to the Neighborhood Paperboy?
To mark the premiere of Amazon's "Paper Girls," we delved into the surprisingly murky history of bicycle-riding newspaper carriers
Designers Build a Provocative Road Map for World Peace
Cooper Hewitt’s new show taps into the collective consciousness of activists, app developers, artists and architects to envision a way forward
How Bird Collecting Evolved Into Bird-Watching
In the early 1900s, newfound empathy for avian creatures helped wildlife observation displace dispassionate killing
The Museum of Failure Celebrates Some of the World's Biggest Flops
Now on view in New York City, the traveling exhibition presents failure as a critical learning opportunity
What is Refind?
Every day Refind picks the most relevant links from around the web for you. is one of more than 10k sources we monitor.
How does Refind curate?
It’s a mix of human and algorithmic curation, following a number of steps:
- We monitor 10k+ sources and 1k+ thought leaders on hundreds of topics—publications, blogs, news sites, newsletters, Substack, Medium, Twitter, etc.
- In addition, our users save links from around the web using our Save buttons and our extensions.
- Our algorithm processes 100k+ new links every day and uses external signals to find the most relevant ones, focusing on timeless pieces.
- Our community of active users gets the most relevant links every day, tailored to their interests. They provide feedback via implicit and explicit signals: open, read, listen, share, mark as read, read later, «More/less like this», etc.
- Our algorithm uses these internal signals to refine the selection.
- In addition, we have expert curators who manually curate niche topics.
The result: lists of the best and most useful articles on hundreds of topics.
How does Refind detect «timeless» pieces?
We focus on pieces with long shelf-lives—not news. We determine «timelessness» via a number of metrics, for example, the consumption pattern of links over time.
How many sources does Refind monitor?
We monitor 10k+ content sources on hundreds of topics—publications, blogs, news sites, newsletters, Substack, Medium, Twitter, etc.
Can I submit a link?
Indirectly, by using Refind and saving links from outside (e.g., via our extensions).
How can I report a problem?
When you’re logged-in, you can flag any link via the «More» (...) menu. You can also report problems via email to hello@refind.com
Who uses Refind?
200k+ smart people start their day with Refind. To learn something new. To get inspired. To move forward. Our apps have a 4.9/5 rating.
Is Refind free?
Yes, it’s free!
How can I sign up?
Head over to our homepage and sign up by email or with your Twitter or Google account.