The Age of the Birth Certificate
When states began restricting labor by children, verifying a person's age became an important means of enforcement.
The Waste Age, E.O. Wilson, and January 6
Well-researched stories from Slate, Aeon, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Percy Shelley: Trendsetting Vegetarian
The poet adopted a "Pythagorean" diet, which eliminated meat, and wrote that vegetarians would "no longer pine under the lethargy of ennui."
Making Steel All Shiny and New
When it seemed that steel had lost its gleam with American consumers, the industry turned to marketing to make it shine again.
Freedom Libraries and the Fight for Library Equity
Freedom libraries in the south provided Black residents with access to spaces and books, whether in church basements or private homes.
What Coca Means in Peru
Coca has a long history of use in Peru: for sacred ritual, economic productivity, courtship and celebration of life events.
Ski Resorts and Climate Change
The effects of climate change are already being felt by some ski resorts, but filling in the slopes with artificial snow may not be a good solution.
The Real Science of the Multiverse
Explaining some of the mind-bending science behind the popular science fiction trope.
Making the (California) Desert Bloom
The question of Zionism in post World War II America did not have a single answer. One group proposed bringing agriculture to the California desert instead.
Heating Your Home Sustainably
Home heating can be done more sustainably than we currently do it. How to do it depends on a number of factors.