Revealing the Secrets of Electric Eels (Atlas Obscura)
by James Hall
Zoologists don’t know much about how electric eels reproduce, and they’ve had almost no success breeding them in captivity. Up-close studies suggest the secret may have to do with electrical charges in the rivers where they live.

The Long History of Deepfakes (The New Yorker)
by Daniel Immerwahr
For years now, experts have warned of the coming of deepfakes—videos constructed to be indistinguishable from the real thing. But history suggests the actual danger has less to do with how realistic an image is than with our reasons for believing.

Life in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Knowable Magazine)
by Tim Brinkhof
The deep-ocean plastic mess known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is hazardous to many kinds of sea life. It’s also a literal life raft for some coastal species, which are now living in a place that would otherwise be inhospitable for them.

The Wonders of Asbestos (Works in Progress)
by Mano Majumdar
Before asbestos was known as a wildly dangerous carcinogen, it was a miracle product able to save cities from disastrous fires. In some parts of the world, authorities still think the tradeoff is worth it.

How an Antebellum Black Woman Theologian Took the Stage (Black Perspectives)
by Amber M. Neal-Stanley
Maria W. Miller’s life as both a Black intellectual and domestic servant fueled her abolitionist work in the 1830s. But it was a religious experience that led her to speak boldly in public about the particular concerns of Black women.

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