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Posted by: Claire D’Mura
Dinosaur fossils have been found on every continent, scattered throughout the Earth's many-layered crust. You can also find dinosaurs throughout the Library's collection! Get started with our Free to Use and Reuse set.
Posted in: Science
Posted by: Claire D’Mura
In celebration of America 250, we’ll take a quick dive into how David Bushnell designed and built his submarine, known as the Turtle, which was the first vessel to be used to attempt an underwater attack. Learn how he solved the immense challenges of making a working submarine using the technology available in 1776, even though things didn’t go entirely according to plan.
Posted in: America 250, Engineering, History of Science and Technology, Inventions, Military science, Science
Posted by: Natalie Burclaff
Join us for an in-person presentation and display on April 30 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on the history of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina and its use by local inhabitants to form alternative communities. The event features talks by historical archaeologist Daniel Sayers, from American University, and historian Kathryn Benjamin Golden, from the University of Delaware.
Posted in: African American History, Business, Science
Posted by: Nate Smith
Join the Library of Congress Science Section on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time), for a virtual conversation with author, science communicator and past Kluge Chair in Science and Society, Ainissa Ramirez, about her new children’s picture book, “Spark: Jim West’s Electrifying Adventures in Creating the Microphone” (Candlewick Press, 2025).
Posted in: African American History, African Americans, Biography, History of Science and Technology, Inventions, Lunchtime Lectures and Videos, Science
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
A look at a selection of cookbooks the Library of Congress digitized in 2025, including – a couple of community cookbooks, a 1928 Girl Scout camp and trail guide, an early Chinese-American recipe book and a book on candy-making.
Posted in: Cookbooks and Food, Science
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
Prior to 1930’s, the chocolate chip cookie, we know and love today, did not exist. The Library of Congress has a copy of Ruth Wakefield’s 1938 “Toll House Tried and True Recipes” (New York, M. Barrows and Company) that contains what food historians consider the first published chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Posted in: Cookbooks and Food, Science
Posted by: Claire D’Mura
In trying to make distinct and unique names, the scientific world relies on a system of binomial nomenclature, or two-word names, to bring order and standardization to the naming of species. Still, even in this restrictive world, scientists have found many opportunities for fun. If anyone could take this appearance-of-nonsense and use it to full effect, it would be artist and poet Edward Lear, the grandfather of nonsense. In several of his nonsense books, he created charming sketches of made-up plants, with matching scientific names that were every bit as silly as the drawings.
Posted by: Ellen Terrell
As the Library of Congress continues to acquire material, some of the titles from Jefferson’s library that were lost in the 1851 fire have returned to the shelves. This year, the Library acquired one business title and two agricultural titles that were part of Thomas Jefferson’s original collection.
Posted in: Business, Rare Books and Special Collections, Science
Posted by: Jennifer Harbster
Home Health Manuals gained popularity in the United States during the 19th century and played an important role in medical care up until the early 20th century. This blog post highlights these manuals and the broad range of topics they covered.
Posted in: Health Sciences, Science