eat like a...
Being an Ottoman Janissary Meant War, Mutiny, and Baklava
To overthrow the sultan, janissaries first threw over their cooking pots.
All Stories
circus
A Wisconsin Bar Had an Enormous 1885 Circus Poster Hidden Within Its Walls
It wasn't meant to survive nearly that long.
mystery
Found: A New Plain of Massive Stone Jars in Laos, Used to Store the Dead
The society responsible for them remains a mystery.
relics of the 1920s
These Adventurous Women Photographed the California Desert in the 1920s
We almost lost their work forever.
repatriation
Germany Will Return a 15th-Century Cross to Namibia
The 11-foot, 1.1-ton cross could once be glimpsed from the ocean.
birds
Solved: How the 'Monstrous' Iguanas of the Bahamas Got So Darn Big
The secret's in the seabirds.
south africa
Found: The Earliest Evidence of Humans Cooking and Eating Starch
We were eating rhizomes and tubers as early as 120,000 years ago.
entomology
If You’re in England, Keep Your Eyes Peeled for This Iridescent Beetle
Where, oh where, is the noble chafer?
camels
To Save India's Camel Culture, a New Dairy Is Selling Milk and Cream Cheese
The ungulate population has dropped precipitously.
climate change
On Java’s Coast, a Natural Approach to Holding Back the Waters
Villagers are using natural wooden barriers to try to restore the mangrove forests and save their lands and homes.
antiques
For Sale: A Poisoner’s Lab Secreted in a Beautiful Book
Another reminder that covers can't be trusted.
pollen
'Botanical Sexism' Could Be Behind Your Seasonal Allergies
More diversity in city trees would probably be a good thing.
flowers
California's Wild Flower Hotline Provides the Latest Scoop on Superblooms
It’s been updated every Friday in spring for nearly 40 years.
arctic
The Livestock Living at the End of the World
Things get hairy when you plop pigs on a subantarctic island.
camels
Australia's Growing Camel Meat Trade Reveals a Hidden History of Early Muslim Migrants
Afghan cameleers helped settle Australia's interior.
greenhouses
A 'Century Plant' in Chicago Is Having an Epic Growth Spurt
It's outgrown the greenhouse, and it's a big greenhouse.
deep sea
How to Explore a Shipwreck From the Comfort of Your Couch
Without the training, equipment, and utter terror.
plastic
A Remote Australian Archipelago Is Home to Roughly 600 People and 414 Million Pieces of Trash
The Cocos (Keeling) Island chain is beautiful, but littered with plastic debris.
