We all know about the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs, but scientists now see evidence that we’re in the midst of another mass extinction—this one caused not by an asteroid but at least in part by human activity. This review of Elizabeth Kolbert’s book The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History discusses how humans have altered nature and what we’re doing about it.
For Sherpas working as professional guides on Mount Everest, a bad day at work can result in death. Though the Sherpa people have worked as mountain guides for over a hundred years, no one can deny how dangerous the job is, especially in light of the most recent accident on Everest which killed 10 Sherpas in a single day.
A shipwreck found off the coast of Haiti may be the Santa Maria, one of the three ships Christopher Columbus used to sail across the Atlantic in 1492. Learn about how the importance of the Santa Maria, and why one explorer thinks the wreck is Columbus’s long-lost ship.
Anne Frank saw the chestnut tree that stood outside of her window as a symbol of beauty, despite the ugliness that pervaded the world around it. Read about how the Anne Frank Center USA’s Sapling Project is giving new life to this special tree and all it stands for.
President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is one of the most influential speeches in our nation’s history. It’s hard to believe, but when it was first delivered in 1863, one newspaper wrote that the speech was nothing more than “silly remarks.” Now, more than 150 years later, the paper has apologized for its dismissive words.
You’ve probably seen remarkable images of irrigated land, rich with crops, in the midst of barren desert. New approaches are helping to alleviate hunger by developing crops in some of the most forbidding places on earth—but at what cost to the environment?
Explorers Ben Saunders and Tarka L’Herpiniere recently made history when they completed the 1,795 mile journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back. With links to their blog, maps, activities, and more, this site provides an in-depth look at one of the most amazing stories of polar exploration in history.
Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding new ways to help end conflict around the world. In SFCG’s participatory theater program, actors interact with audiences for whom conflict is an inescapable part of everyday life. Watch this video to find out more about the program.
People struggle for freedom and equal rights in many different ways. Jenny Hatch is a woman with Down syndrome who recently won the right to decide where and how she lives, after having had that right taken away from her for over a year.
What sacrifices would you make for a sibling? Read this article to find out why Tracy Barnes gave up her spot on the U.S. Olympic biathlon team for her twin sister.
