All upcoming Science & Nature programs

Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape as horticultural expert Keith Tomlinson leads a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens in settings as varied as Singapore, the Arizona desert, and the American Midwest. In vibrant visuals he explores how each garden has taken a unique approach to design and interpretation as they celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom. This session focuses on the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.

Naturalist and wildlife photographer Matt Felperin leads a visual tour across the coasts of Florida, one of North America’s premier birding destinations. Explore the state’s remarkable range of habitats—from Gulf estuaries and mangrove swamps to Atlantic beaches, wetlands, and inland prairies—and discover why more than 500 bird species have been recorded there. Felperin also showcases some of Florida’s top birding hotspots and parks that draw avian-loving travelers.

Learn from an orchid-care expert how orchids grow in their native environments and beginner care instructions to keep your orchids blooming.

Trees, the longest-living organisms on Earth, can communicate to one another through intricate underground soil networks, and even thermoregulate, all while rarely dying from old age. Liana Vitali, a naturalist and educator at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Maryland (and self-proclaimed tree-hugger), leads an immersive journey into the fascinatingly complicated and connected life of trees.

Insects surged to ecological dominance by evolving larvae—grubs, maggots, and caterpillars—with extraordinary survival strategies and life cycle advantages. Wildlife documentary filmmaker Steve Nicholls explores their remarkable origins and the ingenious ways these vulnerable young thrive, from impersonating predators to forming intricate social networks.

The splendor of springtime in Washington is world-renowned, owing largely to Japanese flowering cherry trees encircling the Tidal Basin for over a century. Yet blossoms are only one aspect of the city’s vibrant seasons. Smithsonian Associates tour guide, naturalist, and nature author Melanie Choukas-Bradley leads a virtual journey through seasonal transformations with beautiful photos of notable Washington-area landscapes highlighting birds, amphibians, and reflections on nature from George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Frederick Douglass, and Rachel Carson.

Author Megan Kate Nelson traces Yellowstone’s transformation from unexplored wilderness to national icon. In 1871, geologist-explorer Ferdinand Hayden led a Smithsonian-backed expedition to confirm reports of Yellowstone’s natural wonders. His team’s findings helped persuade Congress to protect the land, leading to the 1872 Yellowstone Act. Nelson draws from her book Saving Yellowstone to explore the competing interests of figures like Sitting Bull and railroad magnate Jay Cooke, revealing the complex forces behind America’s first national park.

For more than 70 years, the adventures of James Bond have thrilled readers and left them wondering if any of his escapades are actually possible. Kathryn Harkup, a former chemist, investigates 007’s exploits and the weapons, technologies, and tactics of his foes. During the process, she assesses the practicalities of building a volcano-based lair and whether being covered in gold paint really would kill you.

The Victorians prided themselves on interest in technology and innovations in medicine and science, though the line between pseudo-science and academic knowledge was thin. Historian Julie Taddeo highlights fads like mesmerism, phrenology, and spiritualism, showing how science was consumed as entertainment. Homes displayed “trophies of empire,” while public shows misused Darwin’s theories to justify imperial expansion and Britain’s “civilizing mission.” Queen Victoria followed scientific sensations, and ordinary Britons used them to navigate uncertainty. From mummy unveilings to “Zulu exhibitions,” science, empire, and entertainment intertwined.