Better Farming Through Endophytes
Scientists look to “probiotics” for crops as a new green revolution in agriculture.
Speculative Fiction: Beyond a Novel’s Entertainment Value
The classroom is a place to equip students to better understand the world as it was and is. Speculative fiction can help.
An Untimely Death at Sycamore Gap
The outcry over the violent felling of a beloved tree in 2023 affirms the power trees hold in our cultural memory.
Taking “Stock” of Salmon and Word Choice
The long debate over spawning habits and genetics belies the problems caused by categorizing fish with a term associated with finance and breeding.
One Woman’s Path to Jonestown
While the events that led to the Jonestown massacre included profound tragedy, the life—and death—of one of its residents offers lessons on community and resilience.
Dates: Civilization’s Sweetest Indulgence
Offshoots from the “Tree of Life” traveled from Mesopotamia to the Levant to the United States, beguiling everyone with their toothsome confections.
William Merritt Chase, the Accidental Ally
Painter William Merritt Chase opened an art school for a new generation of women, teaching them how to draw as well as how to advocate for themselves.
The Intersection of Dance and Science
Lynn Matluck Brooks dives into the ever-evolving relationship between movement and technology.
La Brea and Beyond
Pits and seeps full of tar and asphalt offer new insights into old ecosystems and cultures.
Is “Swatting” Rooted in a Prank Craze from the 1800s?
Why did Georgian-era England go mad for dangerous hoaxes, and what can that mania tell us about today’s volatile, content-hungry world?