The ABCs of Lithium
Lithium is increasingly seen as a strategic resource, especially for batteries in dreams of a green future. But where does it come from, and at what cost?
Alfalfa: A Crop that Feeds Our Food
In 2023, American farmers grew more than 9 million acres of alfalfa. What makes this grass hay so special?
Charles Darwin and His Correspondents: A Lifetime of Letters
An epistolary network was critical for Darwin’s work, allowing him to obtain new information while sparking fresh ideas in his correspondents’ minds.
Who Can Just Stop Oil?
Groups such as Just Stop Oil are calling for change, but their aims need to be considered with respect to more than a reductionist slogan.
A Brief Guide to Birdwatching in the Age of Dinosaurs
Archaeopteryx and Hesperornis should be on the lists of any dino bird watcher.
NASA’s Search for Life on Mars
It’s a rocky road for its rovers, a long slog for scientists—and back on Earth, a battle of the budget.
Beware the Volcanoes of Alaska (and Elsewhere)
The 43 BCE eruption of Alaska’s Okmok volcano created the (cold) climate context for the fall of the Roman Republic and the birth of the Roman Empire.
Saffron: The Story of the World’s Most Expensive Spice
Appearing in the written record as early as 2300 BCE, saffron can be traced in foodways around the globe, despite the finicky nature of its harvest.