The story of Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated places on Earth, can't be separated from its international situation.

Well-researched stories from NPR, Public Books, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.

Undersea volcanoes, like Hawaii's Kīlauea, foster diverse ecosystems in an environment far from sunlight—and as acidic as lemon juice.

Or will continued abundance require serious changes in consumer behavior?

Pet birds were considered ideal role models for middle-class life.

Do those ubiquitous pink ribbons stand for women’s health concerns... or for normative concepts of beauty?

The show Downton Abbey spurred a renewed interest in English country estates.

Americans started pouring into Saudi Arabia in the 1940s to develop the oil fields. They brought their ideas about segregation with them.

Habitats are being destroyed so rapidly that species can go extinct before they are even named.

Li Zhi’s exasperation with the corruption, greed, and superficiality of the powerbrokers in his society fueled his rebellious writing.