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.
These Gorgeous Photos Capture Life Inside a Drop of Seawater
A passion for the infinitesimal leads a photographer to discover the countless creatures that live unseen in the ocean
These Are the 100 Greatest Films of All Time, According to 1,600 Critics
Chantal Akerman’s bleak drama "Jeanne Dielman" tops the prestigious Sight and Sound poll
Meet the Designer of the Fanciful Subway Entrances to the Paris Métro
The celebrated architect Hector Guimard was also a passionate advocate for workers’ rights, even as he honed his reputation in the business of luxury
'Goblin Mode' Is Oxford's 2022 Word of the Year
The term describes behavior that's "unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly or greedy"
Is Popular A.I. Photo App Lensa Stealing From Artists?
The tool went viral first for generating flattering portraits—and then for igniting ethical concerns
Smithsonian Magazine on Board Games
The Best Board Games of the Ancient World
Thousands of years before Monopoly, people were playing games like Senet, Patolli and Chaturanga
The Best Board Games of 2022
Players of all ages will have to make room in their closets for these selections
Smithsonian Magazine on Fatherhood
This Is Your Brain on Fatherhood
What clownfish stepfathers and Dad-of-the-Year foxes teach us about paternal neurochemistry in the animal kingdom
Smithsonian Magazine on Food
Unearthing the Original Mediterranean Diet
An archaeologist works to find out how much fish ancient Greeks ate
Smithsonian Magazine on Fun Facts
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 Mythology
A Folklorist Explains Loki's Place in Mythology's Pantheon of Trickster Heroes
Smithsonian's James Deutsch says that behind the character in the new Marvel Studios series lies the oft-told story of "guile" outsmarting authority
Smithsonian Magazine on Nature
14 Fun Facts About Fireflies
Fact number 3: In some places at some times, fireflies synchronize their flashing
Can Scientists Save the World’s Tiniest Rabbit?
In Washington State, the race is on to save a diminutive bunny as wildfires threaten its already shrinking habitat
Smithsonian Magazine on Russia
The 20th-Century History Behind Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
During WWII, Ukrainian nationalists saw the Nazis as liberators from Soviet oppression. Now, Russia is using that chapter to paint Ukraine as a Nazi nation
Smithsonian Magazine on Science
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
The Ten Best Science Books of 2022
From a detective story on the origins of Covid-19 to a narrative that imagines a fateful day for dinosaurs, these works affected us the most this year
Popular
These are some all-time favorites with Refind users.
How to Deal With Work Stress and Recover From Burnout
These evidence-based strategies can help you achieve healthy work-life balance
The Ten Best Science Books of 2020
New titles explore the mysterious lives of eels, the science of fear and our connections to the stars
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
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 is Refind?
Every day Refind picks 5 links from around the web that make you smarter, tailored to your interests. 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 5 links every day, tailored to their interests. They provide feedback via implicit and explicit signals: open, read, listen, share, add to reading list, save to «Made me smarter», «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?
100k+ 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.