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year in wonder 2022

Our Favorite Environment Stories of 2022

From a 'happiness farmer' to dauntless vets, we met people rekindling hope through perseverance and innovation.
December 20, 2022
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christmas monsters

Krampus Is the Christmas Icon We Need—And Maybe the One We Deserve

At Milwaukee’s Krampusnacht, we go in search of the essence of Santa’s unholy enforcer.
December 9, 2022
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secret lives of museums

Iowa’s Ancient Apex Predator Was the ‘T. rex’ of Its Day

The monstrous menace known as Whatcheeria hints that our distant ancestors may have been more like us than we thought.
December 2, 2022
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abbeys

From Space, Mont Saint-Michel Stars in a Wild Impressionist Painting

During the winter months, the iconic French site casts a perfect shadow on a bay full of history—and quicksand.
November 22, 2022
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microscopes

These Tiny Jewels Come From One of Alaska's Most Unusual Beaches

This microscopic treasure was collected from a remote site near the Arctic Circle.
November 15, 2022
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drones

How Water, Wind, and Chance Sculpted an Icy Work of Art

Lake stars, ice rings, and other natural phenomena brought magic to a small Slovenian lake.
November 10, 2022
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body snatching

Real Zombies and Body Snatchers Live Among Us

A creepy form of parasitism is one of evolution's favorite strategies, and scientists are starting to figure out how it works.
October 20, 2022
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gymnastics

Catalonia's Human Tower Tradition Starts With a Strong Base

Castell-building has been a tradition in the Spanish region for centuries.
October 18, 2022
Gastro Obscura
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grains

This Nearly Lost Ancient Grain Tradition Could Be the Future of Farming

A past global staple you've never heard of, maslins are poised for a comeback.
October 13, 2022
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science museums

A ‘Weird’ Ancient Marine Reptile Surfaces Thanks to the ‘Bone Biddies’

The unique plesiosaur defies the fossil rulebook—just ask the “paleogrannies” who prepared it for study.
September 28, 2022
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genetics

A Caribbean ‘Cow’ Tooth Could Solve the Mystery of the Chincoteague Ponies

A surprise discovery from Haiti may finally reveal how some famous feral horses got to a distant barrier island.
August 16, 2022
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endangered species

The Next Generation of a Rare Frog Captured in a Poetic Portrait

Embryos of one of the world's most unusual amphibians become art in the eyes of a biologist and wildlife photographer.
August 2, 2022
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plastic

Southern Spain’s ‘Sea of Plastic’ May Actually Cool the Local Climate

The world’s largest array of greenhouses has transformed the region economically, and in other, unforeseen ways.
July 15, 2022
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evolution

Behold Meraxes, Argentina’s Ancient ‘Giant Dragon’

With a ‘Swiss Army knife’ head, tiny arms, and no relation to T. rex, a new dino find is providing intriguing evolutionary insights.
July 7, 2022
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rodeo

Inside America's Premier Black Rodeo, A Celebration of Cowboy Culture

A photographer captures perseverance and pride over a decade of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.
June 28, 2022
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megafauna

The Intriguing Life, Death, and Afterlife of an Indiana Mastodon

Scientists have pieced together a detailed biography—including a search for love and a violent end.
June 14, 2022
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abstract wonder

The Curious Case of the Arctic Desert Island That's Not Actually an Island

No one is sure how this geological oddity got there.
May 31, 2022
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ecology

Why a Wayward Coati’s Selfie on a Brazilian Airbase Surprised Scientists

The adorable appearance highlights an unexpected ally in conservation.
May 10, 2022
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satellite

This Remote, Active Volcano Is a Glassblowing Spider

Alaska’s Great Sitkin has been grumbling for nearly a year.
April 28, 2022
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great lakes

Are the Great Lakes Really Inland Seas?

Well, yes. And no. Actually, it depends on where you stand, in more ways than one.
April 27, 2022
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abstract wonder

This Bird's Mating Dance Is Full of Stomp and Pomp

The great argus uses its unusual wing feathers to maximum, eye-catching effect.
April 13, 2022
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abstract wonder

The Wild and Wonderful Whorls of Brash Ice

Wandering currents and spring thaws make sea ice in East Greenland look like curls of smoke.
April 8, 2022
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pacific

What the World's Most Remote Islands Were Like Before Humans Arrived

Scientists dig deep for the lost bioscapes of the Marquesas Islands.
April 4, 2022
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woman explorers

A Botanical Mystery Solved, After 146 Years

How a young illustrator’s attention to detail—and a determined Victorian woman's legacy—led to the discovery of a new species in an old painting.
March 29, 2022