The Caspian Sea Five countries now ring the Caspian, where two stood only a decade ago. The Soviet Union's breakup left regional economies in tatters; it also spurred the biggest oil rush of the past quarter century

Pirates of the Whydah Survivors swore the Whydah was packed with plunder when a nor'easter swamped her off Cape Cod in 1717. Now salvagers searching for the loot have hit archaeological gold: artifacts offering a treasure trove of insights into the lives of pirates

Ants and Plants-Friends and Foes In return for sustenance, ants pollinate and guard plants. But when ants ravage crucial nutrients, plants retaliate. Rarely captured images illustrate relationships both symbiotic and hostile