The Rise and Fall of the Jet Pack
Well, mostly the fall.
The Women of Pop
In addition to bringing attention to overlooked artists, one scholar argues that art criticism has contributed to their obscurity.
The Mathematical Pranksters behind Nicolas Bourbaki
Bourbaki was gnomic and mythical, impossible to pin down; his mathematics just the opposite: unified, unambiguous, free of human idiosyncrasy.
How Octavia E. Butler Became a Legend
The early inspiration and experiences that shaped the visionary science fiction storyteller.
The Origins of LGBTQ-Affirming Churches
As far back as the 1940s, religious LGBTQ people organized groups and congregations that welcomed them.
Alien Evolution, Texting while Walking, and a Maya Life
Well-researched stories from Quanta, Wired, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Why Suicide Was a Sin in Medieval Europe
Although there were historical and scriptural precedents for honorable suicide, Christian theology saw it much differently.
How the Gender Binary Limits Archaeological Study
One case study demonstrates how contemporary assumptions about gender in ancient societies risk obscuring the larger picture.
How Three Women Led the Fight against Pertussis
As whooping cough killed thousands of kids annually, a trio of public health workers were deeply involved in the production and distribution of a vaccine.
Erasing Women from Science? There’s a Name for That
Countless women scientists have have been shunted to the footnotes, with credit for their work going to male colleagues. This is called the Matilda Effect.