The Tamest Grizzly of Yellowstone
Adored by tourists and studied by scientists, a grizzly mother named Sylvia became an emblem of the fragile balance between humans and the wild.
The Mythical Mahogany that Helped Build the American Empire
How “Philippine mahogany” became America’s tropical timber of choice, thanks to a rebrand from a colonial logging company that drove deforestation.
Tonka Bean: The Tale of a Contested Commodity
The rise and fall of the sweet-smelling seeds of Dipteryx odorata stands in stark contrast to the tree’s lasting presence in global markets.
“Playing God” with De-Extinction
As tech companies tout successes in bringing back the likes of the long-gone dire wolf, they must grapple with accusations such innovation is immoral. Why isn’t it?
Shucking the Past: Can Oysters Thrive Again?
Dredging and pollution devastated the once-bountiful reefs. Careful science may help bring them back.
A Whale of a Shark
The largest fish, Rhincodon typus, is obviously not a whale, but it’s also unusual for a shark.
The Long Quest to Uncover a Sea Star Killing Bacteria
Scientists say they’ve found the cause of a marine epidemic more than ten years after it started. What took so long?
The Macronutrients of the Three Sisters System
If the intercropping of beans, squash, and corn produces smaller yields, why did the the Haudenosaunee prefer the Three Sisters system?
Jane Goodall
An intellectual powerhouse and dedicated conservationist, Goodall showed generations of humans how to engage with—and take care of—the natural world.