Farming Crickets, with Tech High and Low (Public Books)
by Paolina Lu
Among those who believe insects are the protein of the future, many are pursuing techniques built on robotics and artificial intelligence. Another approach depends on small-scale farmers developing their own low-tech innovations. But which will really bring crickets to our tables?

Managing a Forest, for the Forest’s Sake (Yale Environment 360)
by Fred Pearce
A nineteenth-century chief of the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin created a paradigm for harvesting trees to maximize forest health. Today the forest is thriving, despite looming threats caused by changes to the larger climate and landscape.

W. E. B. DuBois: Freethinker (Literary Hub)
by Christopher Cameron
The church played a central role in twentieth-century Black American politics. W. E. B. DuBois’s agnosticism made him part of a less-celebrated tradition of Black humanists.

Consider the Pickle-on-a-Stick (Smithsonian Magazine)
by Laura Kiniry
Forget fried dough and ice cream. The coolest treat at the carnival is the humble pickle impaled on a wooden stick. It’s part of an illustrious history of brined vegetables that includes Koolickles and fried pickles.

What Does a Record-Breaking Temperature Really Mean? (Vox)
by Umair Irfan
This is a summer of broken records for hot temperatures and precipitation. But record-breaking means different things in different places. How can we make sense of the headlines?

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