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September 2020

Features
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The History Thief
Precious maps, books and artworks vanished from the Pittsburgh archive, and the caper’s final chapter was just written
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Chasing the Pirates
These criminal actors threaten fragile species, forcing an international coalition to track them down
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In the Land of Kush
The African nation's pyramids and other archaeological sites are only now emerging from the shadow of its more storied neighbor to the north
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The Bombing and the Breakthrough
The physician who led the investigation into a deadly explosion in Italy found the truth, and some hope
Departments
Discussion
Your feedback on our coverage of bonobos and virus hunters
Lesson Plans
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Rollin' Along
Dive into the secret past and uncertain future of the body of water that has defined a nation
Blanket Statements
Inspired by antique “freedom quilts,” the artist stitches encoded icons into his own textured pieces
Daring to Face the Past
One descended from an enslaver, the other from the people he enslaved. Together, they traveled to the Deep South to learn their families' pasts
The Writing on the Wall
A makeshift wall in Washington, D.C. speaks to a heroic struggle to overcome inequality
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