Guns in America: Foundations and Key Concepts
This non-exhaustive list of readings on the role of guns in US history and society introduces the field as a subject of scholarly inquiry.
Smoke Pollution from Prescribed Burns vs. Wildfires
Government can regulate air quality. But some policies on smoke might be self-defeating.
Peter the Great’s Beard Tax
Why did the Russian tsar seek to ban beards?
Space Medicine for the Inexperienced Astronaut
The promise of commercial spaceflight raises questions about how untrained travelers will endure the extreme hostility of space.
How Dolly Parton Is Literally Like a Cougar
The mountain cat’s cries, like Dolly Parton’s famous songs, carry the diverse voices of rural Appalachia.
Plant of the Month: Cork
Why is cork so strongly associated with bottle stoppers? The answer goes back centuries.
ADHD: The History of a Diagnosis
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has been a controversial diagnosis since it was first described, back in the 1940s.
Guerrilla Food, Sports Violence, and Historical Plastic
Well-researched stories from Atlas Obscura, Psyche, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
The History of Black-Owned Record Labels
Decades before Motown ruled the radio, labels like Black Swan and Black Patti put out records that didn't stereotype African American music.
How Do Scientists Define a Heat Wave?
It seems that every summer brings record temperatures. But there's more to a heat wave than daytime highs.