Woodcut of a badger, 1551

Hooray, Hooray for Badger Day!!

Striped-faced, short-legged badgers appear in folklore and tall tales around the world.
Orpheus by George de Forest Brush, 1890

Francis Bacon’s Fables of Life Extension

In his retellings of ancient myths, Bacon called for research to extend human lifespans, but only if those longer lives were spent in the pursuit of knowledge.
Two glass of fresh pure water on white background with sunlight deep shadow of glass.

Before Brita: A Brief History of Water Filtration

From ancient Egypt to post-industrial London, societies have long recognized the benefits of clean water and—mostly—have done what they can to provide it.
The location of T Coronae Borealis (circled in cyan)

John Birmingham’s Discovery of the Blaze Star

John Birmingham discovered T Coronae Borealis in the narrow window when astronomy flourished in nineteenth-century Ireland.
"Fresh, red cloves grow on the branch, green leaves. Zanzibar, Tanzania"

Cloves: The Spice that Enriched Empires

Behind one humble spice lies a complex history of empires and profit, commodities and globalization.
An artist's representation of the Earth during Huronian Glaciation

Snowball Earth

How scientists discovered that unique Scottish rocks record when Earth was first encased in ice.
Close-up of a raccoon

Raccoons in the Laboratory

The lab rat is now a symbol of science, but psychologists once believed that raccoons presented unique potential in the study of animal intelligence.
The main mass of the Nqweba meteorite showing the black fusion crust and brecciated interior (light grey) with broken mineral and rock fragments.

Meteorite Strike in South Africa

Scientists offer clues about what it is and where it came from.
Three men on deck of the H.M.S. Challenger studying Medusae jellyfish

HMS Challenger and the History of Science at Sea

Sailing ships were once used as scientific instruments themselves, but in the 1800s, ships like the Challenger were transformed into floating laboratories.
Human base on a new planet, aerial view

Astronomers Have Warned against Colonial Practices in the Space Industry

A philosopher of science explains how the industry could explore other planets without exploiting them.