When Bryon Schroeder moved to Alpine, Texas, in 2016, he was amazed at how few rules there were. In Texas—unlike in Wyoming, where he grew up, and in Montana, where he got a Ph.D. in archeology—if you ...

With high carbon dioxide, low oxygen and no photosynthesis, here’s how an entire ecosystem persists in one of the world’s most extreme environments. Life, as we know it, is exceptionally good at ...

When Beatriz Flamini was growing up, in Madrid, she spent a lot of time alone in her bedroom. “I really liked being there,” she says. She’d read books to her dolls and write on a chalkboard while ...

Hidden River Cave was once filled with heavy metals and sewage that made the surrounding town smell awful. After a cleanup, it became a tourist draw. The entrance to Hidden River Cave lies just off ...