seaweed on a spoon

Eating Seaweed in the Americas

From the kelp highway to blue plate kelp specials, seaweeds are gaining greater acceptance on the dining tables in the Americas.
Ilex paraguariensis

Plant of the Month: Yerba Mate

The biological and cultural profile of mate has affected its global expansion, unlike other plants native to the Americas, such as cacao and maize.
Illustration of two house sparrows

Words for Birds

From the meaning of birdsong to the history of birdwatching, from the effects of climate change to the cunning of crows—our bird stories have it all.
A street dog in Varanasi city, India

Our Most Popular Stories of 2022

Personality tests, street dogs, underwater treasures, and a natural history of dragons.
Bromus diandrus and Bromus tectorum in Zion National Park

The Greening of the Great Basin

The growth of grass in a desert might not seem problematic, but the introduction of invasive species can disrupt plant, animal, and human inhabitants.
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Foxhounds.jpg

Public Paw-licy: Dog Breeding, from Pedigrees to Bans

Harmony between human and canine shouldn’t be difficult to find, but poorly defined policies and breed uncertainties makes mutts vulnerable to public biases.
Panicum maximum, Guinea Grass

Plant of the Month: Guinea Grass

The West African grass was imported to sustain Caribbean sugar plantations, but it has turned against them, becoming a symbol of resilience and independence.
Pierre-Joseph Buc'hoz. Plantes de Chine

Plant of the Month: Chili Pepper

Few foods elicit such strong reactions as chili peppers. Why do we love something that hurts so much?
Source: http://beeld.teylersmuseum.nl/Digital_Library/Emags/149b_439-2/pubData/source/images/zoompages/zoompage86.jpg

Plant of the Month: Sunflower

With the invasion of Ukraine, it seemed like sunflowers suddenly appeared on the political landscape. Yet they’ve long held symbolic and economic value in Europe.
An illustration of a whale watch boat and a whale

Who Is Watching the Whale-watchers?

Whale-watching cruises can negatively affect the behavior of cetaceans, depending on species, environment, and population.