July 31, 2026 — As he watched the British bombarding Fort McHenry from a truce ship on the Patapsco River, inspiration struck Francis Scott Key. When the American flag was raised after 24 hours of explosive assault, Key wrote what would become “The Star Spangled Banner.” Our national anthem was born, along with our country’s obsession with fireworks.
But long before there were red rockets glaring in the sky, the Patapsco River had an equally impressive natural spectacle of its own. Every spring, it would turn silver with millions of river herring. The annual migration of these fish was a sight to behold in rivers up and down the East Coast of North America. In fact, here at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Maryland, Muddy Creek used to be called Herring Creek.
Emphasis on “used to.” In less than a century, river herring populations have dwindled by well over 90 percent. These fish have certainly seen better days, but recovery efforts are well underway. Scientists are fighting an upstream battle to protect what remains, using cutting-edge research and… bombs bursting in air?