The skeleton’s hidden powers (Knowable Magazine)
by Amber Dance
Bones don’t just keep us from collapsing into a pile of goo. They’re constantly communicating with our muscles, organs, and brain, helping to regulate the way we use energy and resources. New findings about the skeleton’s power could lead to innovative treatments for diseases and disorders.

Special agent seals (Vox)
by Benji Jones
Beaked whales hardly ever come up from the deep water, and most of what we know about them is from their carcasses that wash up on land occasionally. Now, researchers are trying a new technique for spying on the elusive animals: recruiting seals to carry recording equipment.

Paul Farmer’s legacy (Devex)
by Andrew Green
Paul Farmer, who recently died unexpectedly, helped transform global approaches to public health. He put power, politics, and the history of colonialism at the center of efforts to provide poor people with cutting-edge care.

A high-flying energy industry (Yale Environment 360)
by Nicola Jones
Wind power will almost certainly be a big part of our energy future. But big turbines can’t harvest the fastest winds, which are high up in the air. Maybe kites and drones can.

The foods of San Jose’s old Chinatown (Smithsonian)
by Bridget Alex
People who left China for San Jose in the nineteenth century left a lot behind—but not many of their favorite foods. New research is revealing how complex trade networks brought foods from around Asia to the US.

Got a hot tip about a well-researched story that belongs on this list? Email us here.