oceans
Found: The Last Traces of Unspoiled Ocean
They're few and far between.
Articles by Jessica Leigh Hester
512
Stories
Stories shared by this traveler.
architecture
In a Historic Building, Your Feet Might as Well Be Jackhammers
Museums want visitors, but many must also grapple with the vibrations they cause.
ships
The Second Death of Long-Submerged Shipwrecks
Climate change is coming for underwater archaeological sites.
dinosaurs
How to Make a Fossil in a Single Day
The recipe calls for fresh feathers or lizard feet, clay, heat, and a whole lot of pressure.
garbage
Trawling Through the Murky World of Microplastics
In waterways around the globe, the teeny tiny shreds are a big problem.
astronomy
How a Desert Mountain Telescope Revealed Jupiter's Odd New Moon
Meet Valetudo, a moon that doesn't just go with the flow.
maps
The Dazzlingly Colorful Atlases That Brought the Night Sky Within Reach
Detailed maps of the heavens weren't just for scholars.
food
Revelations From a Wine Barrel Filled With Renaissance Poo
Centuries-old latrines in Denmark drop big hints about diets, trade, and health.
ships
Narwhals Are Real, And They Could Be in Real Trouble
As Arctic waters warm, shipping traffic is rapidly increasing in their favored habitats.
sounds
Listen to the Mournful Wails of Planets and Moons
A saturnine soundtrack.
maps
The Lost Constellation Meant to Honor a King’s Escape
The oak tree that sheltered Charles II once had a place in the night sky.
museums
A Museum's Treasured Tradition of Identifying Fossils for the Public
Including the occasional turd.
science
How Comparisons Help Us Understand the Universe
And ourselves.
objects of intrigue
Why Medieval Monasteries Branded Their Books
The fiery marks were a way to keep track of tomes on the move.
libraries
The Surprising Practice of Binding Old Books With Scraps of Even Older Books
For centuries, bookbinders commonly used whatever materials they could get—including entire manuscript pages.
paintings
Why Is It So Hard to Paint Lightning?
Capturing lightning on a canvas is just as difficult as it sounds.
food
When Two Economists Scientifically Ranked New York's Best Deli Sandwiches
The Madansky-Shubik experiment settled one beef and started many more.
forests
A Gorilla Poop Treasure Hunt Through Central Africa's Virunga Volcanoes
How researchers collect genetic info without disturbing the majestic primates.
architecture
Revisiting the Heyday of California's 'Crazy' Novelty Architecture
Giant hats, portly pigs, and drive-thru donuts.
forests
Where Are Europe's Last Fairytale Forests?
Mapping the oldest and least-disturbed tracts of trees is easier said than done.
world's fair
Glass Dresses, The Fairytale Fashion Trend That Never Quite Took Off
The World's Fair showstopper highlighted the appetite for mingling science and apparel.
art
The Artist Who Imagined Zaire as a Miniature Utopia
In his multimedia sculptures, Bodys Isek Kingelez offered a fantastical vision for the freshly independent country.
science
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.
islands
Cold, Damp 'Sky Islands' Are Hotspots for Unusual Plants and Animals
Exploring an ecological oasis high up on the Philippines' Palawan Island.
