oil
How Locals on Mauritius United To Fight an Oil Spill With Their Own Hair
When a cargo ship crossing the Indian Ocean wrecked just offshore, the "people of the sea" sprang into action.
All Stories
food museums
Podcast: Gold Medal Flour
Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
seaweed
Red Seaweed Defeats Cows' Methane-Filled Burps
When it comes to battling the climate-damaging gas in belches, a little of the macroalgae goes a long way.
rainbow
Why Hawaiʻi Is Perfect for Rainbows
According to one scientist, geography and weather make it the “Rainbow Capital of the World.”
england
Podcast: Merrymount
Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange stories.
floods
How a Vet Hospital on Wheels Rescued Australian Wildlife During Floods
Injured birds, bats, echidnas, and more got some TLC during a disaster.
sake
The Heartwarming History Behind a Brewery's Kosher Sake
Chiune Sugihara was "Righteous Among the Nations."
q&a
Meet the Woman Who Trekked a 1,200-Mile Ice Age Trail in the Dead of Winter
Emily Ford is the first woman and first person of color to complete the grueling hike.
south
The Gray Man Haunts the Shores of Pawleys Island
Legend has it that seeing this ghost before a hurricane is good luck. But what else can The Gray Man tell us about local history?
delicious diaspora
The Bangkok Bakeries Preserving a 250-Year-Old Cupcake Recipe
The treat represents the diverse history of the Kudeejeen neighborhood.
drones
Why Does Iceland's Fagradalsfjall Volcano Look Like a School Science Project?
A spatter cone and runny lava give this eruption its classic look, and make it relatively approachable.
aboriginal
Heavy Rain Brought Spectacular Waterfalls to Australia's Most Famous Rock
A rare deluge at Uluru attracted tourists, locals, and a whole lot of frogs.
grapes
The Ancient Method That Keeps Afghanistan's Grapes Fresh All Winter
Kangina is simple but effective.
genocide
The Indigenous Canadian Work of Art with a Life of Its Own
The Witness Blanket, which honors survivors of cultural genocide, has the legal rights of a living entity.
swearing
Two Women Are Trying to Make India’s Bad Words a Little Less Bad
Is it possible to take the misogyny and bigotry out of cursing?
monkeys
Podcast: The Grave of Miss Baker
Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
cookbooks
Inside the World's Largest Jewish Cookbook Collection
A librarian with a love for eBay built this trove of culinary history.
writing
The Lost Language of Easter Island
A wooden fish could help linguists learn more about the writing system known as rongorongo.
