DO ROBOTS BELONG ON THE STAGE?

WE ARE GETTING USED TO HAVING ROBOTS IN OUR HOMES, STORES, AND FACTORIES. What about onstage? In fact, the word robot comes from a play.

Art Work – Joel Jeske – Clown

Joel Jeske knew he wanted to be a clown when he was 12 years old. Now he can make crowds laugh with just the quirk of an eyebrow.

Ventriloquism 101

The magic and science of 'throwing' a voice

Engineer Extraordinaire

he Mississippi River was littered with sunken steamboats that had hit snags or had gone down in flames. Someone could make a fortune retrieving cargoes that were sitting on the bottom of the river.

France Stakes a Claim

Father Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary, J arrived in Quebec, New France (present-day Canada), in 1666.

Skywalking for Science

When Stephen Sillett climbed his first giant redwood tree, back in 1987, he didn't know that a new world awaited him up there.

United They Stand

TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF REDWOOD TREES SEEM TO HELP EACH OTHER SURVIVE.

Getting Started

Old Man River. The Father of Waters. The Mighty Mississippi.

The Secrets in Tree Rings

WHAT THEY REVEAL ABOUT OUR PAST...AND TELL US ABOUT OUR FUTURE

COULD DRONE TECHNOLOGY RAPIDLY REPLANT FORESTS AFTER WILDFIRES?

HEALTHY FORESTS PROVIDE HABITATS FOR WILDLIFE, KEEP OUR AIR AND WATER CLEAN, AND HELP SLOW DOWN CLIMATE CHANGE.

SUZANNE SIMARD- FOREST ECOLOGIST

Most people look at a forest and see trees reaching for the sky. Suzanne Simard sees trees holding hands underground.

The Secret Social Life of Trees

A hidden underground. network allows trees to move nutrients and chemicals around. The question is why.

THE TREE - DA VINCI CODE

Does a 500-year-old sketch explain how all trees grow?

Bringing Back the GAINTS

Scientific Efforts To Restore The American Chestnut Tree

STEPPING UP - AN INTERVIEW WITH ROJEAN HEYER

Rojean Heyer (RIGHT) has been a lockmaster for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 12 years.

THE FALL OF VICKSBURG

Vicksburg's location high on the bluffs gave it a commanding view-and control-of the Mississippi River.

Controlling the River

Seasonal flooding is a natural event for a river. When a river floods, it spills beyond its banks into nearby low-lying areas.

Riverboat Pilot

Twenty-one-year-old Samuel Clemens decided he needed a change. He would leave his dull job as a printer and head to New Orleans. From there, he would get passage on a ship to South America. He hoped to have great adventures and become a wealthy businessman.

First Peoples

Prehistoric North American peoples traveled in small nomadic family groups.

Mighty Rivers

Rivers play a huge role in both the natural environment and human activity. Here are three important rivers around the world.

Major Rivers

The Mississippi isn't the only river to have an important role in the nation's history.

A Famous Mud Pie

There are many versions of Mississippi mud pie. Some recipes call for creating a pie with five different layers, which might include layers of brownie, custard, pudding, or meringue.

Who Invited You? - When Species 'Invade'

Marauding camels from Afghanistan, India, and the Middle East overrun Australia. The "invaders" flatten fences, topple into wells, and devour native plants. Meanwhile, toxic toads originally from Central and South America multiply without mercy and poison Aussie critters to near-extinction.

A Fiesta of Flavors

There's no denying that Puerto Rico has a wealth of culture, a captivating past, and an abundance of scenic wonders. It should come as no surprise, then, that the island's food is also rich in fun and flavor. Traditional Borinquén fare has influences from around the world. It is rooted in native tastes. But it was blended with African cooking styles, refined with Spanish flavors, and later zested by Dutch, Irish, Italian, and even Chinese elements. No wonder the cuisine is nicknamed la cocina criolla, or "the creole kitchen!"

Getting Started

Puerto Rico is a small island with a big presence. Its rich heritage is pulled from a combination of Indigenous Taino people, Spanish conquerors, enslaved Africans, and its relationship with the United States. Most Puerto Ricans speak Spanish, but the island's official languages are Spanish and English.

PLANT A MILKWEED GARDEN

You can help monarch butterflies!

THE EPIC JOURNEY

The Pacific Gray Whale's Long Path to Recovery

Which Octopus Arm is Best?

Are you a righty? A lefty? This octopus is a second-arm-from-the-front-y.

STATEHOOD

Independence, statehood, or status quo? Puerto Ricans have tried to address that question and their relationship with the United States-for more than 100 years. The island has held six referendums about the issue in the second half of the 20th century.

The United States Step In

By the early 1800s, the once-vast Spanish Empire was fading. Many of its original colonies in the Americas had fought for and won their independence. But Spain was determined to hold on to its few remaining territories. Puerto Rico was one of them.