What does the coronavirus sound like?
In the 1980s, Mark Temple was the drummer for the indie pop band The Hummingbirds. He toured the world and saw his music played on MTV, but eventually left the band and returned to school. When the ...
21 Jan 20216min
The evolution of ethnobotany
As long as humans have been around, we’ve relied on plants for our survival: as food, fuel, shelter, medicine — and to produce the oxygen we breathe. Ethnobotanists are scientists who study and catalo...
13 Jan 20218min
More than just a weather forecast
2020 was another record-breaking year of storms and wildfires in the United States. Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, reports of fiery skies above California and “unsurvivable” storm s...
6 Jan 20217min
Birding provides escape for the pandemic-fatigued
Watching for resident and migratory birds has provided an outlet for people to go outside during the COVID-19 shutdowns. Photo: Migratory birds like this magnolia warbler pass through New York City e...
30 Dec 20207min
Rhino conservation in a time of crisis
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted economies across the globe. With international travel on hiatus, the toll on tourism has been immense. So where does that leave the communities — and animals — t...
28 Sep 20209min
Taking the "folk" out of folk culture
It’s literally in the name — folk culture depends on groups of people. Whether they’re attending a folk dance or a jam session, members of folk communities gather together to engage in a group experie...
27 Sep 20209min
The daunting task of holding an Islamic funeral in a pandemic
Grieving is difficult. Grieving during a pandemic even more so. In the Islamic tradition, a person's passing is marked with an elaborate and symbolic funeral. But what happens to those traditions whe...
27 Sep 20209min
LGBTQ pride in the pandemic
June felt different this year. The month, usually filled with technicolor LGBTQ Pride celebrations, fell quiet due to coronavirus lockdown measures. Many pride organizers adapted by hosting online p...
23 Sep 20205min
