J. Edgar Hoover saw the political effectiveness of cracking down on elite brothel madams—but not their clients—in New York City.

A century ago, a lost tomb was uncovered on the west bank of the Nile River. The scarcely studied Pharaoh Tutankhamun immediately became an icon.

Troubles grew at the Portland institution when one of its older residents attempted to poison himself after being questioned by police about same-sex relations.

Researchers are concerned not only with our exposure to mis- and disinformation but with the depth of confidence people have in their inaccurate beliefs.

Few foods elicit such strong reactions as chili peppers. Why do we love something that hurts so much?

Bach’s most influential pedagogical work turns 300 this year. But what’s so “well-tempered” about this clavier, and what’s a “clavier,” anyway?

The Town of Boston’s invention of the standing committee 250 years ago provided a means for building consensus during America’s nascent independence movement.

Formerly incarcerated people comprise the largest group of disenfranchised American voters. The American Prison Newspapers collection offers fresh insight into the issue.

Well-researched stories from Smithsonian Magazine, Wired, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.

Despite royal prohibition, transmutation efforts continued underground long after the widely accepted dates for their demise.