food art
How a British Guild Rebuilt a Vandalized Royal Cake Replica
It took an international team (and Buckingham Palace).
All Stories
domestication
On the Hunt for the Wild Relatives of America's Favorite Produce
Popular crops’ untamed cousins are genetic gold mines, but they're at risk of disappearing.
snakes
What Were 29 Exotic Snakes Doing in a U.K. Trash Bin?
Wriggling in pillowcases, trying to stay warm after being illegally abandoned.
ships
The 30-Hour Ferry Rides That Keep Indonesia Connected
With more than 6,000 inhabited islands, the country can’t rely on air travel alone.
scientists at work
The Effort to Save Colombia's Underground Mountaintop Tombs
Scientists and conservators are finally able to return to what was once an Andean war zone.
drag
The History of Race, Performance, and Drag Intersect in a Rare Photo of Thomas Dilward
Dilward performed with all-white minstrel troupes that otherwise excluded black people.
security
The Devilishly Difficult Locks of Dindigul
These unique handcrafted mechanisms are designed to protect homes, confound cashiers, and outthink thieves.
fruit
The Archaeobotanist Searching Art for Lost Fruit
Renaissance paintings can hide botanical secrets.
galapagos
For One Photographer, Reptiles Rule the Galápagos
Lucas Bustamante wants you to fall in love.
mint
For Sale: Royally Minted Coins, Decorated With Dinosaurs
It’s change 165 million years in the making.
babies
Early Chinese Trick Photography Sent Chubby Babies Into Space
Inside a historian’s collection of endearing, goofy early 20th-century portraits.
borders
Life Along the Border That Cuts Cyprus in Two
In Nicosia, physical barriers separate the Greek and Turkish communities—but many residents don't seem to mind.
fire fighters
The World's Largest Bottle of Wine Just Spilled in Austria
We're gonna need a bigger napkin.
for sale
For Sale: A Sprawling Carriage Factory and the House on Its Roof
A Syracuse rooftop still holds some pretty puzzling real estate.
destination southern africa
For the Madagascan Aye-Aye, the Rule of Thumb Comes in Two
The extra digits are yet another of the odd animal's oddities.
pie
The ‘Pie Designer’ Baking Up a Diverse Vision of America
Lauren Ko is as American as mango pie.
endangered animals
How One Man and His Dog Rowed More Than 700 Kākāpōs to Safety
In the late 19th century, Richard Henry laid a blueprint for modern conservation in New Zealand.
dynamic diasporas
Iowa's 'Denmark on the Prairie' Creates Hygge Away From Home
The tiny town has imported a 19th-century windmill and starred in two Danish TV shows.
