Elton John at the White House

This miracle plant was eaten into extinction 2,000 years ago—or was it?

Silphion cured diseases and made food tasty, but Emperor Nero allegedly consumed the last stalk. Now, a Turkish researcher thinks … More

How Long Is the Drive to the Edge of the Universe?

Adapted from “What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions,” published by Riverhead Books, a member of … More

Agent Rose – Andrée Peel

Andrée Peel, the World War II heroine known as “Agent Rose,” was born in 1905. The most highly decorated woman … More

A Dream? Reality? Is there a difference?

Last night I had one of those great dreams.A dream that brought an old friend into my dream time.A lady … More

The Couple Who Sat With Lincoln on the Night of His Assassination

BY STACY CONRADT It’s been 157 years since assassin John Wilkes Booth crept into the Presidential Box at Ford’s Theater … More

What are animals thinking? They feel empathy, grieve, seek joy just like us.

Rats show kindness, orcas mourn their dead, and monkeys protest injustice. Scientists are learning that other species also have complex … More

After 75 Years, Cheetahs Return to India in a Grand Experiment

Scientists aim to determine whether a predator population can be restored in a place where it was hunted into extinction. … More

Patagonia Founder Gives Away the Company

By David Gelles. Gelles writes about the intersection of climate and the corporate world and has covered Patagonia for nearly a … More

The Cowboy and the Queen

A renowned American horse trainer described his three-decade-long friendship with Queen Elizabeth II, and the time she called him, unexpectedly, … More