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September 2019

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Features

opener

From the Tide Pool to the Stars

A legendary writer, a quirky scientist and an epic ocean voyage that would rewrite the rules of ecology

Lake Mungo

The Homecoming

He walked the Earth 42,000 years ago. Now his remains are at rest after an agonizing clash between modern science and an ancient spirituality

Saturn opener

Saturn's Surprise

The planet's distinctive rings may be gone in the cosmic blink of an eye

Titan and Saturn

Dragonfly Spacecraft to Scour the Sands of Titan for the Chemistry of Life

The NASA rotorcraft, resembling a large quadcopter drone, will fly through the orange clouds of the ocean moon in the outer solar system

Opener - Centaur Pompeii

The New Treasures of Pompeii

From gorgeous artworks to grimacing corpses, archaeologists are still uncovering the truth about life—and death—in the doomed city

Departments

Discussion

Readers discuss our July-August issue

Prologue

Life of Pie

How did a humble dessert become a recipe for democracy?

Prologue

Breathing Rooms

Dramatic new photographs bring acclaimed artists back to life

Prologue

The Nation's Unsettled Account

In 1870 Henrietta Wood sued for reparations—and won the largest verdict ever awarded for slavery

Prologue

How to Read Like Mark Twain

Step one: Pretend you don't like books

Prologue

War and Piece

A lowly chunk of earth is a telltale trace of the devastating weapon that would change the world forever

Prologue

Riches of the Spanish Main

A deep dive into the archives yields hundreds of long-forgotten shipwrecks

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