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women in conservation

The ‘Queen of the Mantas’ Who Became a Force of Nature

Lauded for her research on gentle giants of the sea, Andrea Marshall is using her fame to find hope for our troubled oceans.
March 25, 2022
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women in conservation

The Anthropologist Who Has Spent 50 Years Protecting—and Learning From—Orangutans

Biruté Mary Galdikas has quietly fought on the frontlines of some of conservation’s biggest battles. 
March 24, 2022
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women in conservation

The Keeper of Sacred Bees Who Took on a Giant

To save her native Maya bees and their shrinking forests, Leydy Pech waged a fierce campaign on multiple fronts.
March 23, 2022
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women in conservation

The Wildlife Scientist Finding Innovation in Ancient Ideas

Biologist Serra Hoagland bridges Indigenous traditions and modern methods.
March 22, 2022
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women in conservation

The Ecologist Who Made Biodiversity Count

Georgina Mace helped change the way both scientists and policymakers see living things, including the most vulnerable.
March 21, 2022
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satellite

Wild Weather Has Turned Bolivia's Salt Flats Into a Work of Art

A satellite captures the stunning effects of heavy rain and high winds on a landscape that—coincidentally—is used to calibrate satellites.
March 10, 2022
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travel

How to Connect With Nature Like a South African Wilderness Guide

Tragedy set Sicelo Mbatha on a course to understand, and make peace with, the wild on its own terms.
March 4, 2022
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extinction

Did the Dinosaurs Die on a Pleasant North Dakota Spring Day?

Fish fossils may put "the single worst day for multicellular life on Earth" on the calendar.
February 23, 2022
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climate change

Algeria’s Ancient Melting Pot Faces an Uncertain Future

For more than a millennium, Tipasa was a symbol of cross-cultural exchange. Now the sea is coming for it.
February 17, 2022
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abstract wonder

Why Is This Rippling Alaska Glacier a Research Hotbed?

Malaspina Glacier is the world's most accessible of its kind—but that's not the only reason scientists find it so cool.
February 8, 2022
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abstract wonder

Salt-Loving Microbes Make Vivid, Massive Abstract Art

For the latest addition to his stunning salt production series, photographer Tom Hegen ventured to Utah’s Great Salt Lake.
February 2, 2022
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arctic

What Energized This Arctic Hare to Keep Going and Going and Going?

The animal known as BBYY traveled hundreds of miles, breaking records and shattering expectations.
February 1, 2022
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secret lives of museums

How to Keep Europe’s Most Magnificent ‘Praying Room’ Looking Lovely

Every January, the doors close and the cleaning starts in Dresden’s iconic Stone Bell.
January 26, 2022
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sense of place

Discovering the Unexpected Wonder of Mumbai's Coastal Wildlife

Photographer Sarang Naik is reintroducing his hometown to its rich biodiversity, from glowing corals to dazzling sea slugs.
January 10, 2022
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empire

A View of the Space Age From the Classical World

This mesmerizing image brings the International Space Station and Rome's ancient Colosseum together.
January 4, 2022
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the year in wonder 2021

In 2021, Wonders Came in All Shapes and Sizes

From tiny castle towns to big, beefy koalas, we discovered some superlative delights around the globe.
December 29, 2021
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the year in wonder 2021

Flying Rhinos and Divine Tigers: Atlas Obscura’s Year of Awe-Inspiring Critters

Looking back on 2021's stories about amazing animals and the people helping to protect them.
December 23, 2021
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the year in wonder 2021

Our Favorite Science Projects of the Year, From Fake Leopards to a Torture Orchard

A look back at the ingenious ways scientists advanced our understanding of the world in 2021.
December 22, 2021
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twins

Are Twin Volcanoes Double the Trouble?

They come in pairs more often than you might think, but generally aren’t twice as dangerous as the solo acts.
December 8, 2021
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deep sea

A Deep Dive Into the Intersection of Art and Science With an Artist-at-Sea

Ale de la Puente collaborates with researchers to explore new ways of understanding our universe.
December 3, 2021
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abstract wonder

How to Find ‘Comets’ and Other Wonders Just Around the Corner

A nature photographer uses clever camera work to turn his own neighborhood into a visual wonderland.
November 19, 2021
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dust

Massive Dust Devils Leave Their Mark Across Eerie Dunes

Often associated with Earth’s hottest places, these whirling columns show up on all seven continents—and beyond.
November 5, 2021
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creepy from above

Is This a Scene From a Sci-Fi Horror Flick a Rare Atmospheric Phenomenon?

What looks like a ghostly blue hand creeping up on a spaceship is actually a special edition of one of nature’s greatest light shows.
October 26, 2021
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forgery

Was René Descartes a Victim of Skull Blasting?

Centuries after the philosopher’s death, lingering controversy over his remains highlights a macabre practice of profiting from the dead.
October 25, 2021