Plant of the Month: Sarsaparilla
From an early modern treatment for syphilis to Saturday-morning cartoons, the meaning and significance of the plant has transformed through time and space.
With Climate Change, Poison Ivy May Get Itchier
Bad news for the estimated 80 percent of the human population that's allergic to the dreaded—and abundant—leaves of three.
How Tree Ring Records Can Help Predict Droughts
Inside the trunks of trees lies a wealth of data on climate that goes back generations.
The Greenhouse Gas That’s More Potent Than Carbon Dioxide
Emitting just 1 ton of nitrous oxide—a common ingredient in synthetic fertilizer—is roughly equivalent to emitting 300 tons of carbon dioxide.
Yaks in Tibet
As China tried to expand into Tibet in the late 1930s, it looked to the yak as a way to "modernize" Tibetan culture.
Solar Housing Is Actually Kind of Retro!
The domestic fuel scarcity of World War II led to innovation in home heating—especially passive solar technology.
How to Increase Diversity in Community Science Projects
There's often a disconnect between the ambitions of scientists engaging the public and the potential participants themselves.
Chien-Shiung Wu, the First Lady of Physics
Chien-Shiung Wu disproved a fundamental law of physics—a stunning achievement that helped earn her male colleagues (but not her) a Nobel Prize.
What Will Green Hydrogen Mean for International Relations?
Storing and transporting excess renewable energy as hydrogen could reshape global energy politics.