Colonialism’s legacy has left Caribbean nations much more vulnerable to hurricanes

The islands’ vulnerability has roots deep in the exploitative systems forced on them by colonialism, from slave-based land policies to ill-suited development that put lives in harm’s way.

Farah Nibbs, Assistant Professor of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
Oct. 22, 2024 ~11 min

Astronomers have warned against colonial practices in the space industry − a philosopher of science explains how the industry could explore other planets without exploiting them

Space may be considered the final frontier, but the US was once a frontier, too. How can space industry leaders avoid repeating practices that led to colonialism in the 18th century and beyond?

Mary-Jane Rubenstein, Dean of Social Sciences, Professor of Religion and Science and Technology Studies, Wesleyan University • conversation
Aug. 19, 2024 ~9 min


Returning a 170-year-old preserved lizard to Jamaica is a step toward redressing colonial harms

Not all reparations involve money. Returning unique scientific resources is also a way of showing respect and righting past harms.

Thera Edwards, Lecturer in Geography and Map Curator, The University of the West Indies • conversation
June 3, 2024 ~11 min

I’ve been studying astronaut psychology since Apollo − a long voyage to Mars in a confined space could raise stress levels and make the journey more challenging

Can astronauts spend prolonged time in close quarters millions of miles from Earth without killing each other?

Nick Kanas, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
Feb. 21, 2024 ~8 min

Global health research suffers from a power imbalance − decolonizing mentorship can help level the playing field

Though the Global South tends to experience higher disease burdens, most public health decisions and knowledge generation are centered in the Global North.

Engelbert Bain Luchuo, Senior Research Associate, University of Johannesburg • conversation
Feb. 13, 2024 ~9 min

How a Victorian trip to Palestine spurred modern ornithology – and left it with imperial baggage

H.B. Tristram was a Victorian clergyman and ornithologist who categorised a list of birds he’d found in Palestine.

Jasmine Donahaye, Professor in English Literature and Creative Writing, Swansea University • conversation
Dec. 18, 2023 ~7 min

How a colonial trip to Palestine spurred modern ornithology – and left it with imperial baggage

H.B. Tristram was a Victorian clergyman and ornithologist who categorised a list of birds he’d found in Palestine.

Jasmine Donahaye, Professor in English Literature and Creative Writing, Swansea University • conversation
Dec. 18, 2023 ~7 min

Mutton, an Indigenous woolly dog, died in 1859 − new analysis confirms precolonial lineage of this extinct breed, once kept for their wool

Dogs have lived with Indigenous Americans since before they came to the continent together 10,000 years ago. A new analysis reveals the lineage of one 1800s ‘woolly dog’ from the Pacific Northwest.

Logan Kistler, Curator of Archaeobotany and Archaeogenomics, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution • conversation
Dec. 14, 2023 ~12 min


How cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger became the scents of winter holidays, far from their tropical origins

Spices have been prized commodities for centuries. Today, ‘warm’ flavors boost our health and spirits in fall and winter.

Serina DeSalvio, Ph.D. Candidate in Genetics and Genomics, Texas A&M University • conversation
Dec. 11, 2023 ~8 min

How to protect people displaced by the climate crisis

Climate refugees are predominantly from formerly colonized countries that aren't responsible, in large part, for the factors that exacerbate climate change.

Ivan Natividad-UC Berkeley • futurity
Dec. 7, 2023 ~11 min

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