It’s chilly at dawn in the desert, even though blazing heat will arrive before midday. To the east, stark outlines of cactus and thorny trees stand against the growing light. And on all sides, the air ...

For 500 miles, I’d driven south, air conditioner blasting, radio on. When I arrived at the desert field station and stepped out onto the gravel, I was hit all at once by the heat, the quiet, and a ...