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John D. Lee, seated on his coffin, moments before his execution.

The Aftermath of Mountain Meadows

The massacre almost brought the United States to war against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but only one man was brought to trial: John D

Organic red lentils

Five Ways to Eat Lentils

Tired of soup? Use them in cookies, pies or puddings—no, really

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Svalbard Global Seed Vault Turns Four

Four years ago this week, researchers opened the “Doomsday Vault” to store frozen seeds in case of disaster

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Leaping Frogs on Leap Day

In honor of Leap Day 2012, learn a bit about how frogs leap

The solar powered house of the future from 1959

The World Will Be Wonderful In The Year 2000!

The secret formula for predicting a fantastical yet credible future

Jesús Rafael Soto, "Blue Penetrable," ©2012 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris.

Treat Your Senses to Hirshhorn’s New Suprasensorial Exhibition

Caravans cram this campground in Akaroa in a scene typical of New Zealand. Cyclists and hikers, when camped among such fleets of vehicles, may wish for a patch of privacy somewhere in the nearest forest—if only there were access.

Free Camping in New Zealand: Don’t Bank on It

Wild camping isn’t just a pleasure; it’s a necessity for many cyclists

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Jetpacks and Dinosaurs

Orion: Dino Beatdown is another run-and-gun dinosaur shooter, with a little extra hardware to help gamers jump around the battlefield

The endangered pygmy hippopotamus reproduces well in captivity

In Little Hippos, Males Beget Females

A new study in pygmy hippos shows that males can influence the sex ratio of their offspring

Fish Sauce, Ketchup and the Rewilding of Our Food

Fermented fish sauce has been a culinary staple since at least the 7th century B.C. What makes this seemingly disgusting condiment so popular?

Testing the Tango at the University of California Citrus Breeding Program

Design Specs for a Genetically Ideal Snack

How plant geneticists are growing convenience food on trees

The Ford Focus Electric will be hitting the markets later this year

Will High Gas Prices Jolt Electric Cars?

This is the year we should find out if plug-in cars are for real. And it doesn’t hurt when gas goes over $4 a gallon

Follow glass artist Ginny Ruffner through trial and triumph in the documentary "A Not So Still Life."

Events Feb 28-March 1: Paradox of Liberty, A Not So Still Life, and Perspectives on “Limits to Growth”

This week, learn about slavery at Monticello, meet artist Ginny Ruffner, and join experts for a day of discussion on sustainability

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Dinosaur Robots Return with a Vengeance

A new concept album by MJ Hibbett & The Validators envisions an invasion of alien cyborg dinosaurs

The Islamic Empire (top) and Baghdad (bottom), circa 770-910 AD

Arabic Manuscripts: It Used To Snow in Iraq

Baghdad was the bustling capital of the vast Islamic Empire a thousand years ago, when the city’s climate was much different than today

An artist's rendering of GJ1214b, orbiting a red dwarf star

Scientists Discover a Waterworld Just 40 Light Years Away

An entirely new type of planet is made up mostly of water

Colonel Tom Parker—the title was awarded to him by Louisiana Governor Jimmie Davis in 1948 for political services rendered—claimed until 1982 to have been born in West Virginia. In fact he was a Dutchman, and the circumstances under which he left the Netherlands in 1929 remain a puzzle to this day.

Colonel Parker Managed Elvis’ Career, but Was He a Killer on the Lam?

The man who brought The King to global fame kept his own past secret. But what exactly was Tom Parker hiding?

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Peeling Open the 1947 Chiquita Banana Cookbook

What do ham banana rolls with cheese sauce and salmon salad tropical have to say about politics?

Steven M. Cummings' "Artuare" is one of the exhibitions in the Anacostia Community Museum's series, "Call and Response: Community and Creativity."

Local Artists Blend Brand and Art at the Anacostia Community Museum

“Artuare” and “Conversations in the Contemporary” blur the definitions of commercial and fine art

Asa Butterfield plays Hugo and Chloe Grace Moretz plays Isabelle in Hugo.

“A Precise, Beautiful Machine”: John Logan on Writing the Screenplay for Hugo

The Oscar-nominated writer tells how he adapted Brian Selznick’s bestseller for the screen

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