Dispatches from the American West

A prehistoric scene with a scientist measuring a large mammoth, surrounded by various elephants, giraffes, and prehistoric animals in a dry, open landscape under a partly cloudy sky.

How to Bring a Museum Back to Life?

The pandemic is waning. The exhibits are open. (Washington Post Magazine)

Two whales swimming in green ocean water, seen from above.

These Endangered Whales Are Disturbingly Thin—Why That Matters

North Atlantic right whales are in worse shape than their southern cousins, in part due to entanglement in fishing gear, a new study says. (National Geographic)

A brown pelican sitting on the wet, reddish shore near a yellow and brown pipe at the ocean's edge, with rocks and water in the background under a blue sky with some clouds.

U.S. Industries Are No Longer Liable for Accidental Bird Deaths. At What Cost?

Changes to the implementation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act take away the threat of penalties, at a time when bird numbers are plummeting. (National Geographic)

Firefighters in yellow protective gear firefighting a wildfire in a mountainous area.

The Rise of Private Firefighting

Private fire brigades are not just for the rich anymore—and for some, they’re also not enough. (Vanity Fair)

A person wearing blue gloves holding a clear plastic bag with white powder inside.

The Powder Room

How the federal government tries - and fails - to stop fentanyl from streaming into the country. (The Economist)

Man wearing a black cowboy hat and black jacket standing in a rocky desert landscape with mountains and a dam in the background.

Everything's Bigger in Nevada

How a brothel owner created the world’s biggest industrial park. (The Economist)

A person in a white shirt and blue pants with patterns floats underwater next to a large manta ray.

Big Manta Rays Found 'right under our nose' Off Florida Beaches

The unusually high number of young animals suggests there is a nursery ground in the densely populated region, surprising scientists. (National Geographic)

A black duck resting on the beach, preening its feathers.

‘Every Bird Matters’: The Science Behind Oiled Seabird Rehabilitation

Fifty years after the oil spill that inspired the creation of Earth Day, we’ve learned a lot about how to care for birds covered in oil. (National Geographic)

A dolphin leaping out of the water near a boat with a city skyline in the background.

A Brief History of the US Navy’s Dolphins

Dolphin echolocation can find underwater mines more effectively than the best sonar. (MIT Technology Review)

Female soldier in uniform standing in front of an American flag.

Top Brass

A woman takes the helm of an American infantry division for the first time. (The Economist)

Man wearing cowboy hat playing guitar and singing in front of a Rob Quist campaign poster.

A Lady Called Montana

Curious electioneering in Big Sky Country. (The Economist)

Person smiling with head above a cryotherapy machine surrounded by fog in a room with blue and white walls.

California Freezin'

Uncomfortable treatment with little scientific basis finds paying customers. (The Economist)

Sunset over a hilly landscape with tall palm trees in the foreground.

California Steaming

America’s most progressive state is set to lead the new fight against federal power. (The Economist)

An elderly woman standing next to an old wooden wagon in a wooded area.

Treasure-hunting in the American West

A valuable hidden treasure draws hopeful hunters out West. (The Economist)

Two flat-topped mesas in a mountainous landscape with green trees in the foreground and a blue sky.

An Earful

Bears Ears and Gold Butte are the latest battlegrounds in a long-running debate about federal land in the West. (The Economist)