birds
Found: A Bird That Could Be Distinguished Only by Its Song
It looked almost identical to another species.
All Stories
marketing
The Lucky Charms Mascot Was Almost a Forgetful Wizard
In the 1970s, Waldo the Wizard briefly appeared on cereal boxes in New England.
earthquakes
Simulating What Could Happen When the 'Really Big One' Hits the Pacific Northwest
When the Cascadia subduction zone slips, the effects will vary based on where and how.
inventions
The Doctor Who Fends Off Magpie Attacks With Children's Party Favors
It's magpie swooping season in Australia, and at least one man is sick of living in fear.
map monday
Mapping the U.K.'s Many, Many Names for Streams
One man's brook is another man's allt. Or nant. Or gill. Or burn.
animals
The Brutal Bull-and-Bear Fights of 19th-Century California
It’s hard to imagine now, but cruel bloodsport was once part of people’s Sunday routines.
sea
Would You Kindly Spy on the Sex Life of the Humble Lugworm?
British researchers need more information about what gets this marine worm in the mood.
menu monday
The Gilded-Age Dinner Party That Featured 7 Courses and 32 Horses
C.K.G. Billings turned a Manhattan ballroom into a site for a banquet on horseback.
albert einstein
Found: Handwritten Notes With Einstein's Thoughts on a Good Life
The famous scientist gave two notes to a courier in lieu of a tip.
dreams
Tell Us About Your Most Terrifying Nightmare
What haunts your sleep?
sleep
The Original ‘Nightmare’ Was a Demon That Sat on Your Chest and Suffocated You
Maere, mara, mahr, mahrt, mårt—by any name, it was and still is a terrifying visitor.
genetics
Scientists Look to the Grape Genome for Clues About Its Past
Domestication turned out pretty well for grapes, and for us.
wind tunnels
100 Years of Rocketry and Research at NASA’s Langley Facility
See pioneering mathematicians, giant wind tunnels powered by submarine engines, and hypersonic rocket models.
theater
Every Halloween, an Oakland Man Stages Spooky Marionette Shows in His Driveway
Larry Schmidt has been offering the free performances at his California home for over a decade.
lost
What Happened to the Severed Head of Peter the Great's Wife's Lover
Don't believe the hype.
acoustics
Can You Really Hear a Coin Drop From the Back Row of an Ancient Greek Theater?
An acoustic study sparks a classical kerfuffle.
turtles
Why Is the World Always on the Back of a Turtle?
It's mythology all the way down.
crime
Found: A Mosaic From Caligula's Ceremonial Ship, Turned Into a Coffee Table
It's now being sent back to Italy.
