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BIODIVERSITY, EVOLUTION, ADAPTATION:
As a young man, Spencer Baird corresponded with the famed ornithologist John J. Audubon, and was influenced by his documentation of American birds and their habitats. Baird formed his own collection and became the Smithsonian's very first curator. Following the 1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Baird arranged for 62 railroad boxcars of items displayed there to come to Washington, DC. A new U.S. National Museum was built to display them: today's Arts + Industries Building. Over the next century, the Smithsonian's collections of flora and fauna helped scientists classify species and understand evolution and adaptation.
The Smithsonian now preserves more than 120 million specimens. Scientists across the Smithsonian continue to discover new species. Smithsonian researchers collaborate on studies of the world's forests and marine life to document climate change and its impact on species. And through initiatives such as Earth Optimism, the Smithsonian explores ways to mitigate and reverse the depletion of the world's biodiversity to help ensure the future health of the planet. Photo credits Top: Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution, Photo by Chip Clark Bottom: Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives |