Critters
May 5, 2020
As the Pandemic Inflames Old Fears, Texas’s ‘Bat Man’ Urges: Don’t Blame Bats
Merlin Tuttle has spent his career dispelling myths about bats. Now he’s defending them once again.
Environment
Boomtown
April 30, 2020
Boomtown Follow-up: The One-Two Punch
Christian Wallace talks to some familiar faces from the Boomtown series in an attempt to understand what happened on April 20, 2020—when oil prices went negative for the first time in history.
Boomtown
April 24, 2020
Boomtown Host Christian Wallace on a New Reckoning for Texas Oil
On a special edition of ‘The National Podcast of Texas,’ the West Texas native and former roughneck explains this week’s record-setting price plunge and weighs its long-term impact on the state’s once-thriving energy business.
Being Texan
April 20, 2020
Meet the South Texas Couple Who Kill Feral Hogs As a Public Service
Robert and Vickie Lyle’s lives revolve around hunting and trapping hogs. Wildlife refuge managers count on them to keep the destructive pigs in check.
Health
April 17, 2020
The “Father of Environmental Justice” on Why He Isn’t Surprised by COVID-19 Health Disparities
An interview with Robert Bullard on how the novel coronavirus exacerbates existing environmental health issues.
Hunting & Fishing
April 15, 2020
How a Battle Between Recreational and Commercial Fishermen Spawned a Conservation Movement
The Redfish Wars changed Texas fishing. A fight over flounder could be next.
Hunting & Fishing
April 15, 2020
How Fishing in Texas Got So Good—and Kind of Weird
The state has spent more than a century building up a world-class fishery, with some unintended consequences.
Energy
March 18, 2020
The Most Unexpected Revelation From RuPaul’s Recent NPR Interview? He Might Be Fracking
One energy company allegedly working with the drag star is based in Texas.
Politics & Policy
March 18, 2020
Is Climate Change Denial Thawing in Texas?
Surprising statements by oil industry leaders have grabbed headlines. But the bigger change is underway more quietly, among young Republicans.
Boomtown
January 28, 2020
Boomtown, Episode 8: Wild West Texas
The uneasy alliance between ranchers and the oil industry goes all the way back to the early wildcatting days in West Texas. But today, that relationship is more fraught than ever.
Boomtown
January 14, 2020
Boomtown, Episode 6: A Thin Line
During booms, the Permian Basin sees a rise in prostitution charges. But misperceptions and stereotypes about sex work have led to policies that may actually harm the women involved.
Boomtown
January 7, 2020
Boomtown, Episode 5: Boobtown
We explore a different kind of boom in the Permian Basin. Meet the women working at a lingerie coffee shop, a “breastaurant,” and two area strip clubs.
Boomtown
December 24, 2019
Boomtown, Episode 3: Dust to Dust
A devastating bust transforms the Permian from the promised land into a wasteland.
News & Politics
December 18, 2019
Racing to Preserve Rock Art in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands
As part of the ambitious Alexandria Project, West Texas archaeologists are documenting several hundred pictographs in just four years.
Travel & Outdoors
December 17, 2019
Austin’s Roadside Christmas Trees, Ranked From Most to Least Rage-Inducing
I spent some quality time with those decorated cedar trees along Loop 360 to see if I could get in the holiday spirit.
Boomtown
December 17, 2019
Boomtown, Episode 2: The Rise of the Permian
The Santa Rita oil well, named after the patron saint of impossible dreams, launched the first Permian Basin boom and has been fueling the dreams of West Texas wildcatters ever since.
Boomtown
December 10, 2019
Listen to the First Episode of Boomtown: “Highway to Hell”
In the first episode of our new podcast series, host Christian Wallace takes us back to his hometown in the Permian Basin, which is nearly unrecognizable to him today. We meet a few of the people whose lives have been upended by the biggest oil boom in U.S. history.
News & Politics
December 6, 2019
Coral Reefs in the Gulf of Mexico Could “Bleach” From Climate Change
Unless rapid warming is halted, the teeming reefs of the Gulf will likely be decimated.
Energy
December 3, 2019
Boomtown
A 10-part podcast series from Texas Monthly and Imperative Entertainment.
Energy
December 3, 2019
Announcing ‘Boomtown,’ a New Podcast on the Greatest Oil Boom in History
Our new 11-part series takes you inside the rugged Permian Basin of West Texas, where roughnecks and billionaire wildcatters are fueling a boom so big it’s reshaping our climate, our economy, and our geopolitics.
Politics & Policy
October 16, 2019
No More Nurdles? Formosa’s Agreement to Stop Pumping Plastics Into Lavaca Bay Is Historic
Gulf Coast citizen-activists collected 30 million plastic pellets in order to prove that Formosa was violating the Clean Water Act.
News & Politics
September 20, 2019
Here We Go Again: Houston, Flooding, and the Five Stages of Grief
Like many in Houston, I've fallen into a predictable pattern as I’ve adapted to the increasingly extreme weather here.
News & Politics
September 19, 2019
Tropical Depression Imelda Might Be Worse Than Harvey for Parts of Southeast Texas
Beaumont, Houston, and Jefferson County are being inundated by rain.
News & Politics
September 18, 2019
Nurdles All the Way Down
How Texans are taking on plastic pollution—one piece at a time.
Politics & Policy
August 30, 2019
Is the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge Still in the Crosshairs of Trump’s Border Wall?
Activists are concerned that the Trump administration will circumvent congressional prohibitions against building a barrier through the South Texas preserve.
August 22, 2019
How Oil-Loving, Frack-Happy Texas Could Lead the Low-Carbon Future
(And get rich doing it.)
Border & Immigration
August 19, 2019
A Day on the Rio Grande Reveals the True Cost of Trump’s Border Wall
The federal government’s efforts threaten to cut off access to much of the Valley’s natural beauty and forever alter life along the river.
Critters
August 13, 2019
Zebra Mussels Are Infesting Texas Lakes. There’s Only One Way to Stop Them.
The invasive species hitches rides on contaminated boats from one body of water to the next.
The National Podcast of Texas
July 29, 2019
Russell Gold: “Texas Has Become an Incredible Leader in Renewable Energy”
On this week’s National Podcast of Texas, the author of ’Superpower’ outlines the state’s pioneering role in America’s transition toward fossil fuels alternatives.
Politics & Policy
June 10, 2019
South Texas Was Hotter than Death Valley Last Week
Falcon Lake hit a balmy 116 while the heat index in Brownsville was an eyeball-melting 128 degrees, nine degrees warmer than Death Valley.
Energy
May 29, 2019
The Permian Basin Is Booming With Oil. But at What Cost to West Texans?
Though some will reap serious profits, the region’s dealing with skyrocketing rents, overcrowded schools, and potholes as big as VW Beetles.
Energy
May 6, 2019
A New Pipeline Through the Hill Country Is Pitting the Oil Industry Against Landowners
The state’s biggest industry finds itself in an unusual position: facing landowner-friendly reforms at the Texas Legislature.
News & Politics
March 22, 2019
Could a Tug-of-War Between Two Central Texas Counties Leave Residents Without Drinking Water?
In the tug-of-war over groundwater between two Central Texas counties, he who pumps the most, wins. At least until everyone loses.
Travel & Outdoors
March 19, 2019
J. David Bamberger on Fifty Years of Coaxing His Blanco County Ranch Back to Life
The ninety-year-old conservationist and fried-chicken tycoon reflects on land stewardship—and the invaluable lessons he learned as a young door-to-door salesman.
Politics & Policy
November 27, 2018
Here’s How Trump’s Border Wall Could Affect Ecotourism in the Rio Grande Valley
The silver anniversary of a birding festival highlights the contrast between the politics and the ecology of the region.
Travel & Outdoors
September 26, 2018
Collection: The Thrill of the Hunt
The antlers are bigger, the gear is better, and the price of admission has shot way up. Welcome to the new world of Texas hunting — if you've got the cash, that is.
The Culture
August 31, 2018
Enchanted Rock Issues Heat Warnings After Three Dogs Died in the Park
Granite, which draws visitors to the park, can also reach high temperatures.
News & Politics
August 24, 2018
Voices From the Storm, a Year Later
Checking in with nine Harvey survivors a year after Texas Monthly first spoke to them.
Politics & Policy
August 22, 2018
Troubled Waters: A Year After Harvey, Has Houston Learned Anything?
A year after Hurricane Harvey brought Houston to its knees, the city is still wrestling with how to prepare for the next great storm. There’s no shortage of good ideas, but in Houston, that’s never been the problem.
Business
August 7, 2018
The Rise and Fall of Dockless Bike Sharing in Dallas
In memoriam.
The Culture
July 17, 2018
Why Dust From the Sahara Is Covering the Texas Sky
The Saharan dust brings us hotter days, hazy skies, and nicer sunsets.
The Culture
June 1, 2018
For One Weekend, Galveston Had Blue Water. Everyone Freaked Out.
We all know the Gulf of Mexico is brown. Until it isn’t.
Hunting & Fishing
May 23, 2018
The Rockport Report: Birding, Fishing, and Coastline Updates
There are some bright spots and signs of hope as the area recovers and rebuilds. The fish and birds are waiting for you.
The Culture
May 15, 2018
Last Week’s Supercell Thunderstorm Over the Panhandle May Have Been Caused by Wildfires
Science is amazing.
The Culture
May 10, 2018
We Ranked the 2018 Hurricane Names By How Intimidating They Are
If Gordon makes landfall, run.
Politics & Policy
March 16, 2018
FEMA Planning Documents Omit Mention of Climate Change
It's the Trump administration's latest move to stop addressing—or even acknowledging—climate change at the federal level.
The Daily Post
December 23, 2017
Why Austinites Should Stop Decorating Cedar Trees for the Holidays
A beloved tradition? Please. It’s just littering.
December 21, 2017
Port Aransas Isn’t Giving Up
Returning to my devastated hometown, I found my friends and family putting on a brave face in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
Energy
December 16, 2017
This Week in Texas Energy: Houston Pushes Aside Cushing in Oil Trading Ranking
Plus: Texas installs quite a few solar panels, CenterPoint Energy has a gas outage in Northeast Texas, and pipeline companies worry about their tax break.
The Daily Post
December 5, 2017
How Big Bend Ranch State Park Earned Its Dark Sky Designation
What does it take to protect the stars of West Texas? A year of persuasion, counting light fixtures, and traversing 315,000 acres under a moonless sky.