Emulsified oil washes ashore after the MV Braer, a U.S.-owned oil tanker, ran aground in hurricane-force winds off the Shetland Islands. The 1993 spill emptied 93,366 short tons (84,700 metric tons) of oil into the North Sea.

Photograph by David Woodfall/Getty Images

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Environment

New way to measure Antarctic snowfall helps predict the ice sheet’s survival
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New way to measure Antarctic snowfall helps predict the ice sheet’s survival
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The unintended environmental benefit of Cuba's isolation
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Same force behind Texas deep freeze could drive prolonged heat waves
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History & Culture

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Sentenced to death, but innocent: These are stories of justice gone wrong.
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This ivory relic reveals the colonial power dynamic between Benin and Portugal
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Reconstruction offered a glimpse of equality for Black Americans. Why did it fail?
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Reconstruction offered a glimpse of equality for Black Americans. Why did it fail?

Science

Are you procrastinating more? Blame the pandemic.
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U.S. announces plan to boost Johnson & Johnson vaccine supply
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U.S. announces plan to boost Johnson & Johnson vaccine supply
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New drugs identified as possible tools to fight COVID-19
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Travel

Where to see northern California’s most spectacular waterfalls
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Where to see northern California’s most spectacular waterfalls
Invasive grass is overwhelming U.S. deserts—providing fuel for wildfires
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Invasive grass is overwhelming U.S. deserts—providing fuel for wildfires
Playing it cool: these artists make music with ice
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These 9 memorials trace the global impact of slavery
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America’s newest national park is a haven for hiking, climbing, and rafting
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America’s newest national park is a haven for hiking, climbing, and rafting
From ‘Herbie the Love Bug’ to punch buggy, the Beetle remains iconic in Mexico
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From ‘Herbie the Love Bug’ to punch buggy, the Beetle remains iconic in Mexico
‘It really is like flying.’ Explore wild skating on nature’s ice
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‘It really is like flying.’ Explore wild skating on nature’s ice
The legendary community that fought for its freedom in Jamaica
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The legendary community that fought for its freedom in Jamaica
Why this salty Massachusetts coastal town hooks artists
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Why this salty Massachusetts coastal town hooks artists
Families are leading a new wave for Black travelers
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Families are leading a new wave for Black travelers
Winter is prime time for watching bald eagles—here’s how
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As Lunar New Year approaches, many Asians worry about future journeys
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How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

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