After reviewing more than 30,000 photos, the editors of Smithsonian Magazine are proud to announce the Grand Prize Winner. #shorts

In a telephone interview, Gregory Crewdson remarks on the genesis and production of some of the photos included in the story

On June 6, 1944, allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France to fight Nazi Germany

He is (K)enough… or is he? With filmmaker Greta Gerwig's Barbie breaking box-office records—and devoting much of its story to Ken's existential crisis—we wondered if there's any more to Barbie's perennial plus-one. Journalist and lifelong Barbie fan Emily Tamkin talks us through Ken’s development, or lack thereof, over the decades. Read Emily’s “A Cultural History of Barbie,” and Chris’s brief Ken history “Not Your Average Beau,” here (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/cultural-history-barbie-180982115/) or in the June 2023 issue of Smithsonian. Emily is the author of The Influence of Soros: Politics, Power, and the Struggle for an Open Society and Bad Jews: A History of American Jewish Politics and Identities. Learn more about Emily and her work here (https://www.emilytamkin.com/) , or subscribe to her Substack newsletter (https://emilyctamkin.substack.com/) . There’s More to That is a production of Smithsonian magazine and PRX Productions. From the magazine, our team is Chris Klimek, Debra Rosenberg and Brian Wolly. From PRX, our team is Jessica Miller, Genevieve Sponsler, Adriana Rozas Rivera, Terence Bernardo, and Edwin Ochoa. The Executive Producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales. Episode artwork by Emily Lankiewicz. Music by APM Music.

From the Americas to Europe then back again, there's more to the potato than meets the eyes.

Read more at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/specialsections/womens-history/The-Writers-Eye.html Scholars and friends of Eudora Welty discuss how her hobby influenced her later works.

Silent film footage taken in 1909 by Thomas Edison at Mark Twain's estate

After his start capturing the horrors of the Civil War for Mathew Brady's studio, 19th century photographer Timothy O'Sullivan uncovered the beauty of the great expanses of the American west

The Orkneys, an archipelago of islands off the northern coast of Scotland, are home to some of the greatest neolithic treasures in western Europe: from the settlement of Skara Brae to the Ness of Brodgar.

Read more at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/We-Have-Liftoff.html Photographer David Burnett focused his camera on the many tourists who flocked to Florida in 1969 to watch the launch of Apollo 11 (Produced by Molly Roberts; Photographs by David Burnett/Contact Press Images).

Tensions intensified between Cuba and the United States in October 1962 as they appear destined to plunge the planet in global war

A clip from the father of video art's 1969 piece

Selected by Martin Parr for our special issue, this up-and-coming photographer discusses his work

Some of the brightest minds in the world gathered at Smithsonian's "The Future is Here" conference to discuss the great triumphs and future innovations in science and technology http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ideas-innovations/The-Future-is-Here.html

Recently digitized footage showing Marines loading onto LST with supplies on equipment and waiting on the beach, among other things. (U.S. Marine Corps History Division and Moving Image Research Collections, University of South Carolina)

Our host, Eric Schulze, explains how science is tackling this puzzling question from space.

Cardiac MRI of an animal that has undergone photosynthetic therapy. CREDIT: Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Selected by Donna Ferrato for our special issue, this up-and-coming photographer discusses his work

Read more at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/In-Vogue.html At 62 years old, Edward Steichen convinced the U.S. Navy to let him gather a team of photographers to capture the men serving their country in the Pacific Ocean during World War II.

In 1896, Thomas Edison set off to a remote Canadian district near the Alaska border, with cameras in tow. He succeeded in capturing fascinating images of the prospectors brought in by the Gold Rush.

Sloth bear cub Remi plays harmonica as part of an animal enrichment program at the Smithsonian National Zoo. The activity encourages the same behavior sloth bears in the wild use to suck insects out of their nests

Ron Mueck's "Big Man" sculpture at the Hirshhorn Museum is a crowd favorite, sparking a wide variety of reactions. Read more at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/ron-muecks-big-man-is-big-13474925/

More on the unsuccessful plot to kill Lincoln: http://j.mp/VnSZ9g During his inauguration tour in 1861, the president's life was threatened in the city of Baltimore.

Spinning tails on the moths' wingtips scramble bats' echolocation signals to keep the moths from being eaten

Selected by Eli Reed for our special issue, this up-and-coming photographer discusses his work

Read more at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Hazel-Scotts-Lifetime-of-High-Notes.html In a performance filmed for World War II soldiers, Hazel Scott begins with a section from Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" and ends with a jazzy tune (Army / Navy Screen Magazine).

In a 11-4 vote, the City Council decided to remove the 65-foot-tall monument from its location in the heart of the city

New DNA analysis adds to growing research indicating the famous Pacific island did not collapse from overuse of resources before the arrival of Europeans

Officials in Extremadura are hoping to attract digital nomads and tech workers in a bid to boost the region's shrinking population

Officials launched an investigation and recovered the $360,000 print less than a week after it vanished from Grove Gallery. Two men have been charged for the crime

A new paper analyzes three decades of fatalities around the world and predicts how "superbugs" will affect human health in the future

The vertical sign stretched across three stories of the Manhattan hotel, which once welcomed the likes of Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Andy Warhol and Janis Joplin

New research suggests the sarcophagus' occupant, previously known only as "the horseman," is Joachim du Bellay, a French Renaissance poet who died in 1560

Experts are carefully uncovering traces of the original paint and fragments of gold leaf that once adorned the 2,000-year-old Temple of Edfu

The annual contest unveiled its winners, highlighting avian photos that focus on conservation issues, the beauty of birds and their sometimes hilarious behavior

Unearthed last year, the remains could reveal new information on the extinct sea reptile, which crushed mollusks and shelled creatures with its large, round teeth

The mysterious missive was written by P.J. Féret, who conducted an archaeological dig at the same site in northern France in 1825

While no written records exist, new research has illuminated key details of the battle fought in northern Germany during the 13th century B.C.E.

Two members of Just Stop Oil staged the original demonstration in late 2022. Group members say the harsh penalties will not deter their efforts

In the dusty landscape surrounding the city of Marfa, a huge 3D printer is constructing 43 new rooms and 18 residential homes as part of an expansion of El Cosmico

The predatory pod hunts off the coast of Chile and is led by a matriarch called Dakota

The world’s slowest mammal is at risk of extinction by the end of the century due to their low metabolic rate and climate change

The wild canines have the same muscles used by domestic dogs to create the wide-eyed, pleading look that captures humans' hearts

The USS Stewart was purposefully sunk off the coast of California after the war

Researchers still don't know what the open-mouth facial expression means or whether it's akin to smiling in humans—but several animals make a similar face during play

A new analysis suggests that the piece was created by several artists working in the Italian Renaissance painter's studio—and that Botticelli himself may have worked on important details

For the second year in a row, Grazer bested the massive male named Chunk to take the crown in the single elimination online popularity contest at Katmai National Park and Preserve

David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper revealed how amino acids shape protein structure, a finding that could aid in drug discovery

Breathtaking shots shine a light on the wonders of wildlife and the threats that human activities pose to the natural world