Ask Smithsonian

Could different backyard birds, such as a robin and a bluebird, produce viable offspring? 

Could a Robin and a Bluebird Have Babies? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

I thought I saw more red foliage this fall. Is that related to climate change?

Does Climate Change Affect Leaves' Fall Colors? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Why can't machines process CO2 the way trees do?

Why Can't Machines Process CO2 Like Trees? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

One reader wonders how birds stay balanced on tree branches while they’re asleep.   

How Do Birds Stay Upright When They Are Sleeping?

You've got questions. We've got experts

One reader wonders if European modernists thought of the American painter Georgia O’Keeffe as a remarkable artist.  

Was Georgia O'Keeffe's Genius Appreciated Outside of America? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts.

One reader wonders what graffiti was like before spray paint.

What Did Graffiti Look Like Before Spray Paint and More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts.

One reader wonders why more flowers and fruits aren't blue-hued.

Why Are So Few Flowers and Fruits Blue? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

All mollusks build their own shells.

How Do Snails Get Their Shells? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for captive apes.

How Do Gorillas Get Heart Disease? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

Both beer and wine are thought to predate distilled spirits.

'Which Came First: Beer or Wine?' and More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

James Smithson was the Smithsonian’s founding donor, bequeathing approximately one ton of gold British sovereigns.

Why Did James Smithson Leave His Fortune to the U.S. and More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter arrived on Mars on February 18, 2021.

Why Did NASA Test a Helicopter on Mars?

You've got question. We've got experts

Some designers promote fashion lines based on kente cloth from Ghana.

When Is Kente Cloth Worn and More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

When suburbanites want to limit the number of deer in their area, it can be easier said than done.

How Can Suburbs Control Deer Populations? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

Could humans be visiting Venus in the future?

Will We Ever Send Humans to Venus?

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

North American species like the Colorado potato beetle and the fall armyworm have become invasive elsewhere.

Have Any North American Species Become Invasive Elsewhere in the World?

You've got question. We've got experts

The planets in our solar system all orbit the Sun in one shared plane.

Why Do the Planets All Orbit the Sun in the Same Plane?

You've got questions. We've got experts

Why does smaller size, like that of the anteater, benefit species in different environments, wondered one Smithsonian reader.

Why Are South American Animals Smaller Than Those on Other Continents?

You've got questions. We've got experts

Halahtookit, a Nez Perce man, widely believed to be the son of William Clark.

Are There Native Descendants of the Lewis and Clark Expedition? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

Amelia Earhart mounted publicity stunts to earn money for her flights.

How Did Amelia Earhart Raise the Money for Her Flights?

You've got questions. We've got experts

Page 1 of 5