Articles by Jessica Leigh Hester

These artificial mountains were fast, thrilling, and probably very dangerous.

This summer, chill like an ancient lady and sweat, recite poetry, and swig wine.

Bureaucratic paperwork led to pretty maps that highlight power structures and visual identity.

Fresh powder can worsen light pollution, according to new research from Germany.

A team of forest archaeologists and preservationists trekked into the wilderness to rebuild a century-old cabin.

It dangled over church pews and disco dancers in Dorset.

We watched it with a whale anatomist to see if the cetacean science holds water.

All aboard!

Only flush the “three Ps,” please.

How a visit to Vesuvius shaped his prescient vision of a hot core.

The newly minted doctors had deft handiwork.

With a little help from scientists, an oak in the Harvard Forest is sharing updates about its life.

Recognize anything?

A plaque will soon mark the site of Okjökull, one of Iceland’s dearly departed.

It's a long shot—but if you're keen to look, here's how to start.

New research says the megaliths may have been dragged to the site with the help of lard.

The long-languishing ships of Mallows Bay are getting a second life as a National Marine Sanctuary.

3D models of sunken boats mean there's lots to explore—even for those who want to stay dry.

House-hunting rail enthusiasts, rejoice.

Step into Heinrich Berann's sweeping portraits of America's national parks.

Rugged mountains and peaceful streams were hidden under layers of brown paint.

Researchers suspect that the smelly macroalgae will keep piling up on ocean shores.

Live from space, it’s a grand celestial phenomenon!

It can take a lot of time—and some heavy bureaucratic lifting—to tell an honest story about a state's past.