The Lost Whales

A startling number of whales were maimed or killed by industrial whalers and lost at sea.

Apr 1, 2021 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

Audubon at Sea

Famous for his art and writing about birds—and infamous more recently for his racist views—John James Audubon traversed the Atlantic a dozen times, providing a snapshot into the state of the ocean two centuries ago.

Mar 23, 2021 | 3,600 words, about 18 minutes

The Murky Origins of an Enigmatic Artifact

A projectile point dredged from the deep could tell us so much about early people in Tierra del Fuego—if only we knew its age.

Mar 19, 2021 | 600 words, about 3 minutes

What to Do with Nomans Land?

Whether wildlife refuge, research destination, or restored traditional homeland, the fate of a bombed-out Massachusetts island is up for debate.

Mar 11, 2021 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

The Dogs That Grew Wool and the People Who Love Them

Indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest bred little, fluffy white dogs that provided for them, both materially and spiritually.

Feb 23, 2021 | 3,800 words, about 19 minutes

Shonisaurus Gets a Makeover

A new understanding of an ancient leviathan is developing in the middle of a Nevada desert.

Feb 17, 2021 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

Banking on Bird Shit

Bird feces contribute nutrient-rich fertilizer to ecosystems. Harvesting them has also been a big business for centuries.

Feb 9, 2021 | 1,100 words, about 5 minutes

Stepping Off Shore and into Sea Country

Along the Australian coast, tens of thousands of years’ worth of Indigenous history lies a short dive below the sea’s surface. The hard part is finding it.

Feb 2, 2021 | 2,600 words, about 13 minutes