A Human Gene Changes Mouse Voices (NPR)
by Nell Greenfieldboyce
Humans have a unique version of a gene known as NOVA1, which affects brain activity. When scientists created genetically altered mice with the human gene, their chirps got just a little bit closer to human speech.

Learning Economics from Plants (Yale Environment 360)
by Mary Evelyn Tucker
Life beyond humans often appears in economics only as “natural resources.” Botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer suggests looking at the complex interactions among living things to help imagine a different kind of economy.

The Afterlife of a Tree (Knowable Magazine)
by Katarina Zimmer
A rotting log is a feat of natural engineering, with fungi, insects, and bacteria collaborating to break down the remarkably sturdy chemical compounds that make wood so strong. In doing that, they help form the basis of forest ecosystems.

The New International Order (The Conversation)
by John Blaxland
Following World War II, the US helped establish the “rules-based international order,” which has shaped economic and political relationships ever since. What happens when the country dramatically changes course?

Dining in Ancient Egypt (Atlas Obscura)
by Andrew Coletti
Scientists have been studying what people ate in ancient Egypt for a long time. But new techniques and new studies are constantly expanding what we know. And learning about cuisine also means better understanding social classes, international relations, and how much ancient people had in common with Egyptians today.

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