How a Nebraska ethanol plant turned seeds into toxic waste
State regulators shuttered the AltEn plant in 2021 after years of environmental violations. Residents are just beginning to grapple with its toxic legacy.
Features
Longform stories, dispatches from around the world & interesting profiles.
With 'Christian cannabis,' a pastor is promoting the spiritual side of marijuana
Craig Gross believes he can convince Christians to give getting high a try.
Road salt is terrible for lakes and streams. Minnesota may have a solution
Crews dump more than 20 million metric tons of salt on US roads each winter. Could 'smart salting' help?
Cities are investing billions in new sewage systems. They’re already obsolete.
The use of decades-old rainfall estimates do not reflect current – let alone future – climate risk.
Houses of worship grapple with the future of their online services
As the pandemic enters its third year, more houses of worship are having to weigh the costs and benefits of online versus in-person worship.
Indigenous Mormons struggle to balance pride in the faith with LDS history
Some are calling out historical injustices the church has carried out against Native Americans, even as others find their faith empowering.
Who built the pyramids and how? The debate rages on YouTube.
Most “alternative historians” distance themselves from theories about aliens, but they’re still spreading damaging misinformation, archaeologists say.
Funding Isn’t Reaching America’s Immigrants
Across the country, grassroots organizations have faced an uphill battle to secure enough money to adequately support their growing immigrant populations.
Indigenous and faith leaders urge Procter & Gamble to end logging of old-growth forests
Activists pressuring the company to source materials in Canada and Southeast Asia more ethically say it’s not just an environmental issue, but also a spiritual one.
Underground counselors: The chaplains helping transit workers cope
While religion is declining in the U.S., the use of chaplains is growing in workplaces as employers see spiritual care as crucial to employee well-being.
Why Chaplains Are in High Demand in an Increasingly Secular America
In secular institutions around the country, chaplains have maintained a constant presence, and in some cases even expanded their ministry, focusing on the intersection of spiritual and mental health.
India's Sacred Groves Are Disappearing, Taking Biodiversity and Culture With Them
Over the last 60 years, the number of sacred groves in Kerala has shrunk from more than 10,000 to less than 1,500. Now, scientists and activists are racing to preserve what’s left.
Surviving for Two - Pregnant and Homeless in L.A.
For thousands of women in Los Angeles mental illness, drug abuse and housing costs intersect with the challenges of pregnancy and raising children.
Thousands of Indians Facing Persecution Back Home Seek Refuge In California
More than 7,000 Indians sought asylum in the U.S. in 2017. Many end up in California as more Indian nationals enter through the southern border with Mexico than ever before.
Autistic Oregon boy finds treasure in friendship with garbage truck driver
Dima Kerdivara and Rene Vesi have developed an unlikely friendship that Dima’s parents say has allowed their son to become more confident and open to social interaction.
In an election with religious undertones, Kerala's Communists campaign on tolerance
As India prepares for parliamentary elections, right-wing Hindu nationalist parties have stepped up their attacks against leftist leaders in the southern state of Kerala.
A toxic breeze: South LA residents organize as concerns rise over oil site
In 2013, an oil drilling site near USC shut down after residents began experiencing health problems. Five years later, the site is trying to reopen despite protests.
In prisons, tablets open window to the outside world
In the last year, at least 19 states have made tablets available to inmates, saying they reduce violence while providing education and job training.
Ice Age fossils emerge during Los Angeles subway dig
As Los Angeles expands its Metro subway lines, workers have been uncovering fossilized remains of ancient animals that once roamed southern California.
Some Uber drivers work dangerously long shifts
Dropping fares and profitable incentives lure many Uber drivers to keep working past safe limits.
Paddling in Chinook canoe, students learn Native American history first-hand
The class is a first-time collaboration with the Chinook Nation and one of the few courses in the region that offers the chance to earn class credits outdoors.
As Albania embraces hydropower, activists fear a vanishing coastline
The Albanian government has approved hundreds of new hydropower plants despite warnings that they are accelerate coastal erosion and put vulnerable populations at risk.
