September 1922: The Great Fire of Smyrna
A hundred years after the cosmopolitan city burnt to the ground, the truth about who started the fire and why remains a point of contention.
A Tale of Two Times: Edo Japan Encounters the European Clock
In country that followed a time-keeping system with variable hours, the fixed-hour clock of the Europeans had only symbolic value.
Woman on a Mission
For pioneering journalist Bessie Beatty, women’s suffrage and the plight of labor were linked inextricably.
Temperance Melodrama on the Nineteenth-Century Stage
Produced by the master entertainer P. T. Barnum, a melodrama about the dangers of alcohol was the first show to run for a hundred performances in New York City.
Falling Cats, Favela Life, and Brain Magic
Well-researched stories from Sapiens, Psyche, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Cultivating the Art of Slow Looking
When we examine the subject, foreground, and background of an image separately, the nuances of the scene emerge.
How Does the Jewish Calendar Work?
The complicated system that determines the High Holy Days is a relatively new creation, dating to around 350 CE.
The Late-Night Circuit: Why Do Politicians Do It?
With a captive audience of millions and a relaxed atmosphere, the late-night talk show offers a good opportunity to make policy discussions more memorable.
The Lady Who Might Have Been Queen of England
The failed campaign to put Lady Arbella Stuart in the line of succession began with a matchmaking scheme between her two grandmothers.
The RAF on Speed: High-Flying or Flying High?
Drug use during World War II, especially by Nazis, was typically viewed as immoral. But what about when it was approved by leaders of the Royal Air Force?