Melting Arctic Makes Way for Man—A fine piece by Doug Struck of the Washington Post that relates the exploration of “the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Amundsen [as it] weaves in graceful slow motion through the ice pack, advancing through the legendary Northwest Passage well after the Arctic should be iced over and shuttered to ships for the winter.�

After 132 Years, Philadelphia Will Send Off Its Elephants—An article by Robert Strauss of the New York Times that details a decision by the nation’s first zoo to close its elephant exhibit, in large part because “quarter-acre habitats like the one in Philadelphia are not sufficient for the world’s largest land mammal.�

Tidal energy companies staking claims—An interesting article by Jeannette J. Lee of the Associated Press that tells how, “in the quest for oil-free power, a handful of small companies are staking claims on the boundless energy of the rising and ebbing sea.�

Large bird, small boy, big news—A cute story by Bob Pool of the Los Angeles Times that describes how a 5-year-old boy in Topanga Canyon managed to photograph “what experts say may be the first California condor to fly the canyon’s skies in more than 100 years.�