Kata Karáth

Quito

Freelance journo/filmmaker in Ecuador. Mostly covering science, environment in Latam. Stories @AJEnglish @Undark,@NewScientist,@Sciencemag| Views are my own

Articles

Las cabezas reducidas, cargadas de significado ritual desde hace mucho tiempo, por fin reciben atención científica

1 month ago | science.org | Kata Karáth

Las fotografías de Science, tomadas con el permiso de la nación Shuar, no muestran las caras de las cabezas reducidas por respecto a los fallecidos. This article is available in English. Guayaquil, Ecuador—Jefferson Lequi toma con delicadeza los restos de una cabeza humana del tamaño de un puño entre sus manos enguantadas, examinando cada detalle de la tsantsa, o cabeza reducida. Los labios de la cabeza—cosidos en una ceremonia hace mucho tiempo—están ligeramente separados, con los hilos deshechos.
ScienceAdviser: Soiling underwear for science

Feb 28, 2025 | science.org | Christie Wilcox |Sarah Crespi |Kata Karáth

Today’s Exemplar from Science Senior Editor Marc S. Lavine examines how to make hydrogels that still work at extreme temperatures. But first, catch up on the latest science news, including a shiny new petawatt electron beam and how underwear can help assess ecosystem health underfoot.
Shrunken heads, long charged with ritual meaning, finally get scientific attention

Feb 27, 2025 | science.org | Kata Karáth

Science’s photographs, taken with the permission of the Shuar nation, do not show the faces of the shrunken heads out of respect for the deceased. Guayaquil, Ecuador—Jefferson Lequi delicately cups the remains of a human head in his gloved hands, examining every detail of the fist-size tsantsa, or shrunken head. The head’s lips—once ceremonially sewn together—are slightly parted, the threads undone. The eyes, rimmed with long lashes, are sewn tightly shut beneath the furrowed brow.
Keeping transgenic corn sustainable, and sending shrunken heads home

Feb 27, 2025 | science.org | Sarah Crespi |Kata Karáth

First up this week, Kata Karáth, a freelance journalist based in Ecuador, talks with host Sarah Crespi about an effort to identify traditionally prepared shrunken heads in museums and collections around the world and potentially repatriate them. Next, genetically modified Bt corn has helped farmers avoid serious crop damage from insects, but planting it everywhere all the time can drive insects to adapt to the bacterial toxin made by the plant.
The Hunt for the Lost Fat Catfish in Colombia

Nov 13, 2024 | nautil.us | Kata Karáth

Nestled on the eastern ridge of the Colombian Andes, some 150 miles from Bogotá, sits Lake Tota, Colombia’s largest lake. Each week, hundredsof tourists flock to the lake’s shores to enjoy its serene waters, white sand beaches, high montane forests, and a cluster of restaurants specializing in rainbow trout.
Archaeologists Confront Extreme Conditions and Ethical Dilemmas while Investigating Ancient Human Sacrifice

Aug 9, 2024 | scientificamerican.com | Kata Karáth |Rachel Feltman |Madison Goldberg |Fonda Mwangi |Jeffery DelViscio

Extreme Conditions and Ethical Dilemmas: The Archaeology of Human SacrificeA mountaintop burial site offers a glimpse into Inka life—but raises ethical questions about unearthing ancient human remains. SUBSCRIBE TO Science Quickly[CLIP: Theme music]Rachel Feltman: Archaeology can reveal shocking similarities between modern-day humans and our most distant, ancient ancestors.
What Did Ancient Humans Think When They Looked Up at the Night Sky?

Aug 2, 2024 | scientificamerican.com | Kata Karáth |Rachel Feltman |Madison Goldberg |Kelso Harper |Jeffery DelViscio

How Ancient Humans Interpreted the CosmosArchaeoastronomers piece together how people understood the heavens thousands of years ago. SUBSCRIBE TO Science Quickly[CLIP: Theme music]Rachel Feltman: There are few human experiences more universal than gazing up at the night sky, and the urge to look up is probably as old as our species, if not even older. But how did our ancient ancestors feel about what they saw in the heavens, and how did it influence the way they lived their lives?
Reviving Tidal Weirs and Preserving an Ancient Fishing Practice

Jul 26, 2024 | scientificamerican.com | Kata Karáth |Rachel Feltman |Madison Goldberg |Kelso Harper |Jeffery DelViscio

Sustainable Fishing with Ancient Chambers and Ocean TidesA group on the islands of Penghu is restoring ancient fishing weirs, hoping to preserve the sustainable fishing practice and attract ecotourism. SUBSCRIBE TO Science Quickly[CLIP: Theme music]Rachel Feltman: What do you think of when you hear the word “archaeology”? Maybe your mind goes straight to Indiana Jones.
Explosion of violence in Ecuador shuts down science

Jan 13, 2024 | science.org | Kata Karáth

Quito--The explosion of criminal activity that shocked Ecuador this week, including car bombings, shootings, arson, and prison riots, has also shaken the country’s researchers and academics. Universities, as well as schools, government offices, and stores, were suddenly shut down on Tuesday, and scientists had to work from home, cancel fieldwork, and contemplate new security protocols.
Plans to ‘rewild’ Argentina spark fierce scientific debate

Nov 2, 2023 | science.org | Kata Karáth

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