As early as 4,500 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia, for instance, gender-diverse people held important roles in society with ...

In the beginning was the plant— Gossypium malavaceae. From this common variety of swamp mallow came the fiber that brought success and hardship in equal measure to the humans who domesticated it.

A deeper look at how the landscapes of the Middle East — from fertile river valleys to vast deserts and rugged mountains — ...