Articles by Grist staff

Kebab meat a new rodent species

While shopping a Laotian food market, Wildlife Conservation Society member Robert Timmons discovered a new species of rodent ... about to be grilled as a kebab. Apparently the rock rat -- or more officially, the stone-dwelling puzzle-mouse -- was "for sale on a table next to some vegetables."

It seems the locals have enjoyed rock-rat kebabs for years, unaware of the fact that the animal would be considered "a major zoological find" by geeky mammalogists the world over. Known as a kha-nyou to Laotians, the 16-inch rodent is usually roasted whole. "You then eat them, crunching up the smaller bones and spitting out the larger ones," Timmons says. "Rats, squirrels, and porcupines are an everyday food item, so the kha-nyou fits right in." Yum.

Oh What a Feeling!

Toyota to build Camry hybrids at U.S. plant Toyota announced plans yesterday to begin production of a new hybrid Camry model at a Kentucky plant, marking the Japanese automaker’s first foray into hybrid production in North America. With Camry sales tops in the U.S. last year and the company’s hybrid Prius selling used for higher […]

Where Have All the Wildflowers Gone?

Decline of wildflowers in forests worries scientists Sprawling housing developments, hungry deer, invasive plants, and other threats have sent many forest wildflower species in the U.S. into decline. Scientists say there are limited studies and surveys available on the delicate flowering plants, known as spring ephemerals, because they are only visible above ground for a […]

Pick a Little, Talk a Little

Few new ideas emerge from latest U.N. climate meetings What comes after Kyoto? That was the focus of a 190-nation, two-day seminar convened by the U.N. this week in Bonn, Germany, the first in what’s likely to be a gazillion-step process of figuring out what sort of climate-change treaty should pick up where the Kyoto […]