invertebrates
Exploring Antarctica’s Upside-Down World
Clinging to the underside of ice hundreds of feet thick, strange communities eke out a living, while researchers race to study them before they disappear.
All Stories
jellyfish
See an Ordinary Jellyfish From an Extraordinary Perspective
An underwater photographer captured the stunning side of a barrel jelly, usually seen washed up on the beach as a pile of goo.
donkeys
Podcast: The Shrek Donkey of Barron Park
Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
farming
Why Are Farmers in Senegal Creating Gardens That Look Like Crop Circles?
A new project emphasizes practical designs that may stave off desertification.
antiquities
For Centuries, England's Go-To Apple Utensil Was a Sheep Bone
No dentures? No problem!
hallucinogen
Does This Medieval Fresco Show A Hallucinogenic Mushroom in the Garden of Eden?
Controversy over what's depicted in the image, and what it may say about early Christians, has raged for decades.
botany
The Mysterious Street Snack That Has Baffled Botanists for Decades
Even DNA tests have yet to confirm its identity.
fairytales
Podcast: Malcolm and the Mermaid
Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange stories.
soda fountains and pharmacies
How the 'Boston Cooler' Became a Classic Detroit Drink
This sweet, creamy enigma dates back to the late 1800s.
inventors
The Biophysicist Transforming Asparagus Into Medical Implants
A horror movie proved an unlikely source of inspiration.
abstract wonder
The Curious Past and Uncertain Future of the Original 'Meander'
In southwestern Turkey, the winding Büyük Menderes River shaped human history. Now, it's humans who will carve its future course.
reproduction
Podcast: La Piedra Movediza
Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
cinema
Are These the Last Days of India’s Touring Tent Cinemas?
Once a major part of rural life, these traveling pictures shows were struggling even before the pandemic.
follies and grottoes
Podcast: Winchester Mystery House
Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
research
The ‘Swell’ Job of Sorting Out New Zealand’s Unusual Earthquake Patterns
Researchers braved storms and monstrous underwater mountains to learn why one region’s earth-shaking is so peculiar.
snow
In Hot, Dry Weather, Snow Can Disappear Straight Into the Atmosphere
A different process than evaporation, sublimation turns snow and ice directly into a gas.
music
Video: The Interactive History of Janis Joplin’s Hometown
This museum is home to the largest mural in the Southwest as well as a gallery paying tribute to Janis Joplin, Port Arthur’s own star.
salton sea
Podcast: Salton Sea
Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
