earth
The Incredibly Tricky Task of Measuring All Life on Earth
Humans make up just 0.01 percent of the biomass on the planet—the same as termites.
All Stories
bombs
Found in the Trash: A Rare World War I Artillery Shell
Nothing like an explosive discovery on garbage day.
volcanoes
How to See Lava Most Clearly
You'd think it would be simple enough to see bright-red molten rock.
senate
Remembering One of the Most Violent Days in the History of the U.S. Senate
On May 22, 1856, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives caned a Senator into unconsciousness.
queer history
The Lesbian Pulp Fiction That Saved Lives
How potboilers and pin-ups showed gay and bisexual women they were not alone.
history
The Caribbean-Americans Searching for Their Chinese Roots
Hakka Conferences are allowing distant relatives to meet and untangle their complex genealogy.
caffeine
In Istanbul, Drinking Coffee in Public Was Once Punishable by Death
Rulers throughout Europe and the Middle East once tried to ban the black brew.
how the sausage gets made
The Old Agricultural Tradition Reuniting Modern Families
In rural France, filling homes with pate and sausage was once a matter of survival.
biodiversity
Cold, Damp 'Sky Islands' Are Hotspots for Unusual Plants and Animals
Exploring an ecological oasis high up on the Philippines' Palawan Island.
food fights
Was the Long Island Iced Tea Invented in ... Tennessee?
"Not since the 'Battle of Long Island' has Long Island's honor been so challenged."
robot
A Gel-Based Material That Can Do the Electric Slide
It's the invention of engineers at Rutgers University.
sounds
The World's Best Violins Sing Like Humans
Some are baritones, some are tenors.
wine
This Indian Winery Wants You to Try Kiwi Wine
A wife-and-husband team hopes the unusual drink will benefit a remote and rugged region.
lost
After 130 Years, the Spoils of a Grave-Plundering Explorer Are Returning to Alaska
Righting at least one wrong from centuries of colonialism.
neolithic
Does Anyone Know What These Knobbly Orbs Are For?
No one can figure out these Neolithic artifacts. We want your best guesses.
software
Early Hackers Used Whistles From Cap’n Crunch Cereal Boxes
You can draw a line from the tiny toys to Apple Inc.
clocks
Remembering the ‘Knocker-Ups’ Hired to Wake Workers With Pea Shooters
Rise and shine!
theft
Found: A Pickpocket's Coin, Used for Ill-Gotten Gains
In 18th-century Russia, a two-kopeck coin could be worth much more than face value.
