CURRENT ISSUE
May 2003
Features
Iraq's Unruly Century
Ever since Britain carved the nation out of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the land long known as Mesopotamia has been wracked by instability
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Finally, the Top of the World
A witness to the first ascent of Mount Everest recalls Edmund Hillary's aplomb, Tenzing Norgay's grace and other glories of the "last earthly adventure"
Winter of Discontent
Even as he endured the hardships of Valley Forge, George Washington faced another challenge: critics who questioned his fitness to lead
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Russia's Treasure-House
Searching for the past on the eve of St. Petersburg's 300th anniversary, a former foreign correspondent finds the future
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James Turrell's Light Fantastic
The innovative artist has devoted his life to transforming
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The Nature of Cuba
Tiny frogs. Vast swamps. Pristine rivers. Whether by design or default, the island boasts the Caribbean's best-kept wildlands. But for how long?
Departments
Into the Breach
David Douglas Duncan's Life photographs captured the courage and anguish of marines in Korea, bringing home the gravity of war
Mystery Bumps
Scientists knew that alligators' jaws are covered in bumps but it took biologist Daphne Soares to figure out why
Comfort Zone
A red sweater in the Smithsonian collections was the trademark of kindness and caring in the indelible 'Mr. Rogers Neighborhood'
Still Ahead of His Time
Born 200 years ago this month, Ralph Waldo Emerson had some strange ideas about the natural world. Recent research suggests they might even be true