koala

Are Koalas Really Going Extinct?

A report from the Australian Koala Foundation declaring koalas "functionally extinct" has caused a confusing scare. What does it mean?
A hand holding a jar of Nutella in front of an illustrated hazelnut plant

Everything You Wanted to Know about Hazelnuts but Were Afraid to Ask

For one thing, there are several species of hazelnuts, including a couple native to North America.
Ducks caged for foie gras

New York City Bans Foie Gras

The practice of eating fatty goose livers dates back to at least 2500 BCE. Is there a humane way to produce it?
Giant house spider

Should I Kill Spiders in My Home?

An entomologist explains why not to.
The Irish Elk

The Cartoonishly Giant Antlers of the Irish Elk

The mystery of the Irisk Elk's giant antlers attracted the attention of famous evolutionary biologist Steven Jay Gould.
A bag of coffee beans

Environmental Challenges Ahead for Coffee Beans

The issues aren’t limited to extreme weather events or pest attacks.
Peregrine Falcon, 1919

The Case of the Thinning Eggshells

How the proliferation of pesticides like DDT almost undid the Peregrine falcon.
"Denver Steak" courtesy Porter Road Meats

How to Carve Up a Cow, Sustainably

The industrial method of meat harvesting wastes a lot of food. Eco-conscious butchers are changing that.
A man standing before a large ant hill

I Spent Three Hours Staring at an Anthill

And all I got were these fascinating observations of parasitic ants that kidnap other ants.
A shark being cleaned by smaller fish

Where the Small Fish Clean the Bigger Ones

A "cleaner station" is a sort of undersea business, a place where large, often predatory, fish go to have parasites removed.