A black stallion glistens as a boy in suspenders washes it with a hose. Darkly dressed men in straw hats lead muscular horses while an auctioneer rattles off bids over the jingling of bridles, bits, and harnesses.

South Africa has a problem. The country ended government-endorsed racial discrimination and segregation more than two decades ago. But trouble from the dreadful system continues. Newly elected South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wants to take land from the country’s white minority.

Do you really need to be present to direct runway traffic? To train for surgery? To enjoy a field trip? Virtual reality (VR) technology is challenging the notion that you do—across many fields of education and enterprise.

A library without books? Not quite, but libraries are evolving. In today’s “media centers,” books aren’t always the first things to come to mind. As students abandon the stacks in favor of online references, university, school, and public libraries are discarding millions of volumes.

The biggest fish in the sea is also one of the least understood. The whale shark can be found roaming warm waters around the globe with its huge mouth agape in search of dinner. As it swims, it sucks in water. Food stays in while the water gets blown out the whale shark’s gills.

Native people in Alaska hunt the animals that live there. Many hunt for “subsistence.” That means they live off what they hunt. Then they make crafts from walrus tusks, otter fur, teeth, bones, and more.

In April 2009, Joseph Hong* received a distressing phone call. Chinese officials had arrested Hong’s mother, Rachel Han*, for a serious crime: She had organized a trip to lead 13 North Korean defectors across China to the Mongolian border.

Whoosh-whoosh. Slowly spinning wind turbines appear peaceful and pretty. An energy developer wants to erect more of the 400-foot towers in rural Minnesota. But folks in the heart of U.S. wind country aren’t necessarily celebrating.