Cheetah and cubs

Where Have All the Cheetahs Gone?

Disturbing news for cheetahs: a recent census reveals that populations have plummeted.
Wine corks

The Cork Oak Forests Want You to Drink More Wine

Corks come from a tree that is part of a unique ecosystem dependent on cork harvest for its survival.
Giant Squid attack

Giant Squid, Giant Secrets

Very little is known about the giant squid, which surely has added to the strange creature's mystique.
Multi-tasking woman

How the Internet Makes Women’s Work Visible

When I left my fancy corporate job so that I’d have the flexibility to support my autistic son, I was afraid I’d disappear.
Russian oil

When Russia Conquered the World with White Oil

Russia was the first source of white oil, a Vaseline-like mix of hydrocarbons used in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and plastics.
Hope Diamond

The Secrets of Diamonds

Diamonds are sparkly. Diamonds are expensive. But diamonds are more than bling—they tell us a lot about the earth, itself.
crab-eating macaque monkey

What Makes a Brain “Speech Ready?”

Can monkeys talk? According to new research, they could, if their brains would let them.
yoga studio

The False Promises of Wellness Culture

Wellness is everywhere today: juice cleanses, Soulcycle classes, self-care. The roots of the trend can be found in nineteenth-century health-consciousness.
Letter on Corpulence William Banting

When Dieting Was Only For Men

Today, we tend to assume dieting is for women, but in the 1860s, it was a masculine pursuit.
Nausea

Why Do We Get Nauseated?

The causes of nausea are almost too numerous to mention.