A selection of science-based books from the year that together shine new light on who we are and why we think and act as we do.

From “experimental archaeology” to the mysterious appeal of exploration, the wide-ranging subjects detailed in these titles captivated Smithsonian magazine’s science contributors this year Joe Spring, ...

In 2025, our science reporters followed the first confirmed glimpse of a colossal squid and a rare look at dinosaur blood vessels. We watched the odds of a future asteroid impact climb to ...