Smithsonian Magazine

After hanging vertically at the Bayeux Museum in Normandy, France, for years, the nearly 1,000-year-old masterpiece is about to be viewed in a whole new orientation. bit.ly/43jE0WR

Scientists found bones of 37 people inside a giant stone jar at one of Southeast Asia’s most puzzling archaeological sites. What does the find suggest? bit.ly/4tJpYJ7

Visitors will be able to view Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece without touring the rest of the Louvre, and visitor traffic at the museum will be able to grow by three million people annually. bit.ly/4tH8pJH

Brain size and bipedalism are the most likely drivers of our species’ right-hand dominance, according to new research. bit.ly/42PB8Rw

From the archive: The memorial features a “Peace Fountain” and panels engraved with information about the U.S.’ role in the war. bit.ly/4tYz8S6

Experts compared DNA from 49 skeletons buried in a cemetery in St. Mary’s City to genetic data shared by 11.5 million 23andMe users. They also identified what may be the remains of the colony’s second governor. bit.ly/4wMWgWj

A new exhibition at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, in Philadelphia, spotlights the little-known wartime contributions of the Jews of St. Eustatius. bit.ly/4dJukK2

A month before he turns 100 years old, comedian Mel Brooks announced that he will donate thousands of documents and photographs from his long career for preservation and public display at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. bit.ly/4nvVjNU

A photographer’s images of domestic tranquility pay tribute to U.S. service members. bit.ly/4wOnb3Y

Featuring iconic and everyday items, including a Revolutionary War gunboat and a first-generation iPod, @amhistorymuseum's “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness” is now open. bit.ly/3PiN5vU

The gray wolf population on a rugged archipelago in northwestern Lake Superior has surged to its highest number in nearly 50 years. bit.ly/49JQbzM

Whooping cranes came within a hair's breadth of extinction. In 1941, there are believed to have been just 21 left in the world. Today, they're conservation icons. bit.ly/4fCCFBR

Grave adoption programs—some part of structured, longstanding projects, others more individually driven—offer a touching layer of history that takes many visitors and even seasoned war experts by surprise. bit.ly/4uuQ6bB

Whether old, decommissioned or new and thriving, these forts are part of America’s story and depicted here in picturesque variety. Take a look. bit.ly/4cZfjET

When summer tourism heats up, Mediterranean monk seals take refuge in hidden underwater “bubble caves”—less-than-ideal hangout spots compared to their typically larger, more accessible caves. bit.ly/42NUjLy

The gorgeous astrophotographs highlight the dazzling night sky and remind viewers what we risk losing to light pollution. bit.ly/4ugY6gk

“Bison: Standing Strong” @NMNH tells the story of the rise, near extinction and recovery of the United States’ national mammal. bit.ly/4eF8N7x

Scientists with the “de-extinction” company Colossal Biosciences say they have successfully hatched live chicks from artificial eggshells, which they claim is an important step toward their controversial goal of resurrecting extinct bird species like the dodo and the South Island giant moa. bit.ly/3PA9c0X

The crown belonging to Empress Eugénie was found on the sidewalk after robbers made away with eight pieces of royal jewelry in October. Officials estimate that the repair will cost nearly $50,000. #InternationalTiaraDay bit.ly/49QSVvn

To mark Bob Dylan's birthday, consider a romp through these 11 sites that hold meaning to him. bit.ly/4uuKZII