David Condos

Scientists seeking to learn about prehistoric oceans have flocked to an unlikely place: western Kansas. And today, the fossils embedded in these Great Plains could hold clues about the future of life.

Scientists seeking to learn about prehistoric oceans have flocked to an unlikely place: western Kansas. And now, the fossils embedded in these Great Plains could hold clues about the future of life.

For small towns with dwindling populations and shrinking tax bases, luring travelers to stop and spend a few dollars is a matter of survival. Some turn to quirky roadside tourist attractions.

Installing high-speed fiber internet in rural places like western Kansas is very expensive, even with government subsidies. Some smaller, local broadband providers are finding ways to make it work.

In rural farming regions, dangerous chemicals from fertilizer have made their way into water sources. For some towns, it takes millions of dollars just to get clean water for a few hundred residents.

In the land of the open prairie, an invasive plant is threatening to transform Kansas' grassland ecosystems into biodiversity wastelands. Researchers are running out of time to find ways to stop it.