A brilliantly preserved skeleton of the extinct dodo bird, found in Mauritius in 2007, could provide valuable DNA information which could lead to the genetic resurrection of the species.
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For the first time ever, scientists have measured the speed of genome mutations in plants, casting new light on the fundamental evolutionary process.
With just over 3,000 left in the world, efforts to save tigers from extinction will be stepped up in 2010 after it topped the World Wide Fund for Nature’s list of most endangered species.
Treehugger.com asks if climate change-protecting vegetarian humans will one day emit more carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere than cows do.
What were the earliest female genital “manipulators” like? One had to be powered by a doctor shoveling coal in the next room; another looked “like a cross between a visitor […]
During his sitdown with Big Think, Astronaut Leroy Chiao explained the challenges of lengthy trips to space, including bone and muscle loss, as well as the dangers of fatigue. But […]
Katie Roiphe’s cover essay in today’s New York Times Book Review affectionately notes one thing about several male novelists of an earlier generation—Roth, Bellow, Updike—that we should consider missing: unapologetic, […]
Has any other American artist been as overanalyzed as Thomas Eakins? Pollock, Hopper, Rothko, and others have all been called to the critics’ psychological couch, but only Eakins has gotten […]
The new year always brings new beginnings. For me, it is a time to throw out the detritus from last year, including the voluminous pile of notes I’ve accumulated while […]
Montana’s Supreme Court has ruled that self-administration of lethal drugs under a doctor’s care is not illegal.
Americans are placing more value on shared experiences than consumable goods in the wake of economic troubles.
Economic indicators suggest the U.S. could likely see a return to job growth sometime this year.
2009 finally receives some compliments from Ezra Klein at the Washington Post after a thorough panning from most commentators.
A federal program incentivizing doctors and hospitals to use electronic medical records is falling short of its target.
The man who tried to assassinate the famed Danish cartoonist who drew Mohammed with a bomb-turban has Al Qaeda ties.
Banks will charge their customers higher fees to recuperate expected losses from new federal banking regulations.
New French law will give illegal downloaders two chances to stop pirating before they are called before a judge.
The U.S. has closed its embassy in Yemen due to threats of violence while American military presence there is set to double.
Two-thirds of President Karzai’s proposed cabinet appointees have been rejected by the Afghan Parliament.
Alternatives are being developed to the controversial full-body scan technology to be used soon in American airports.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown will host international summits this month to address the future of Afghanistan and Yemen.
Dismissal of the case against Blackwater guards gives Iraqis the impression that American private security firms can act with impunity.
At least 93 people were killed in northwest Pakistan when a truck filled with explosives was detonated at a volleyball tournament.
The $75 billion program to lessen high mortgage payments is a band aid that is keeping real estate prices artificially high.
Fox and Time Warner have reached an agreement to keep Fox on the air after it demanded direct payment from the cable provider to air its content.
A Swedish program is helping American families change their lives to see that reducing energy consumption needn’t be painful.
The rare earth metal crucial for clean-energy technology is found in vast quantities in China but its export is tightly controlled.
The rich celebrity tells his audience there is nothing wrong with American healthcare after receiving treatment while on his Hawaiian vacation.
One-tenth of a second is enough time to read even a complex change in emotion on someone’s face.
As the new year begins, I want to pass along the final part of my personal list of the most interesting essays on political issues from 2009. My selections are […]