The True History and Swashbuckling Myth Behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Namesake
Pirates did roam the Gulf Coast, but more myths than facts have inspired the regional folklore
What Ancient DNA Reveals About the First People to Populate the Caribbean
New study suggests a group of migrants almost totally replaced the islands’ original population
New ‘Living Museum of the Sea’ Established in Dominican Republic Waters
Based around an existing shipwreck, the museum will allow divers to explore cannons, anchors and coral reefs
Rescuing Bahamian Culture From Dorian’s Wrath
A team of Smithsonian conservation specialists tours the islands and offers expertise
The Bahamas and the Caribbean Have Withstood Hurricanes for Centuries
Europeans came to the islands unprepared for the destructive storms, even as indigenous people understood their massive power
Twelve Anniversaries and Events Worth Traveling For in 2019
2019 will mark Singapore’s bicentennial, the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death and a total solar eclipse in South America
Archaeologists Identify Oldest Known Human Burial in Lower Central America
The unusually muscular young woman was buried in what is now Nicaragua nearly 6,000 years ago
To Help Corals Fight Back, Scientists Are Breeding Populations Separated by Hundreds of Miles
A new study demonstrates that assisted reproduction using cryopreserved sperm leads to offspring that might be more resilient in the face of climate change
DNA Analysis Offers Insights on Origins of Extinct Jamaican Monkey
The unusual creature had few teeth, rodent-like legs, a squat body and a slow-paced lifestyle
Three Centuries After His Beheading, a Kinder, Gentler Blackbeard Emerges
Recent discoveries cast a different light on the most famous—and most feared—pirate of the early 18th century
This Culture, Once Believed Extinct, Is Flourishing
A new exhibition explores the cultural heritage of the Taíno, the indigenous people of the Caribbean
How the Belize Barrier Reef Beat the Endangered List
An oil drilling moratorium, development restrictions and fishing reform has helped the 200-mile-reef come off Unesco’s endangered world heritage sites list
New Statue Immortalizes Mary Thomas, Who Led a Revolt Against Danish Colonial Rule
It is the city’s first public monument to a black woman
How a Team of Submersible-Bound Scientists Redefined Reef Ecosystems
In tropical Curaçao, Smithsonian researchers are constantly confronting the unknown
Ancient DNA Contradicts Historical Narrative of ‘Extinct’ Caribbean Taíno Population
Researchers create Caribbean’s first complete ancient human genome, find Taíno genes in living people
Why Americans Are Suddenly Flocking to This Gorgeous Caribbean Island
Long ignored by U.S. travelers, this French island is finally enjoying its moment in the sun
Bringing Taíno Peoples Back Into History
A traveling Smithsonian exhibition explores the legacy of Indigenous peoples in the Greater Antilles and their contemporary heritage movement
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