Constant Wonder

Greg Bassenian shares the history of the Salton Sea and why it is beginning to disappear. Gary Krist covers the improbable creation of the city of Los Angeles.

University of Texas at Austin's H. W. Brands contrasts the styles of Abraham Lincoln and John Brown in the fight to end slavery. Josh Mensch describes a foiled assassination attempt on President-elect Abraham Lincoln.

General S. Patton was an egocentric glory hound, but also an immensely talented general. Not unlike some of the great fighter pilots from WWII.

Author Jennifer Howard shares how the developed world came to drown in material goods. Wendy Woloson looks through the junk drawers around the country to figure out why we love cheap stuff.

The last great adventure of the 19th century. Greenhouses that provide fresh vegetables to people living 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

Growing up, Eileen Bjorkman's father kept an airplane propeller under his bed, until he finally built his own plane. UW's Cecilia Aragon went from extremely fearful of heights to acrobatic pilot.

Vanessa O’Brien is the first American woman to reach Earth’s highest and lowest points. A first responder survived a brutal hike in the White Mountains, only to watch in horror as another hiker died on the same mountain a week later.

Trees conspire with each other to thwart seed predators. David Allen Sibley tries to answer essential birder questions: “What do birds do?” and “Why?”

The telephone came out of Alexander Graham Bell's efforts to help deaf people communicate. And, musician Annie Dickinson sees music in color.

Poet Kate Lebo explores unusual, even challenging fruit. The Disgusting Food Museum pushes people to try unusual dishes or to question some of their favorites.