A massive American Elm tree sits backlit by the rising sun in Overlook Park in northern Portland, Oregon.

Why Learning the Names of Trees Is Good for You

Getting to know trees can lead to new ways of looking at the world.
A small panorama of the wetlands and marshes along the Pocomoke River in Worcester county on Maryland's eastern shore

Racism and Black Men’s Health, Ghost Forests, and Troublesome Tweets

Well-researched stories from Atlas Obscura, ScienceLine, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Smoke billowing over Tulsa, Oklahoma during 1921 race riots

Institutionalized Racism: A Syllabus

How can we help students understand George Floyd's death in the context of institutionalized racism?
Roman Street Scene by Ettore Forti

Everyone in Pompeii Got Takeout, Too

Archaeologists have found that snack bars called tabernae fed much of the city in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.
A grilled cheese sandwich

A Brief History of Comfort Food

Our newest culinary trend is also our oldest.
Francesca Vidotto

Francesca Vidotto: The Quantum Properties of Space-Time

Theoretical physicist Francesca Vidotto on feminist epistemology, white holes, string theory, and her book (with Carlo Rovelli) on loop quantum gravity.
Boy sitting at desk with book

The Surprising History of Homework Reform

Really, kids, there was a time when lots of grownups thought homework was bad for you.
A Sea Bishop and a Sea Monk

Martin Luther’s Monsters

Prodigies, or monsters, were opaque and flexible symbols that signaled that God was sending some message.
Walter Rodney and W.P.A members exit the Ministry of Labour & Social Security, Guyana - 1970s

Walter Rodney, Guerrilla Intellectual

Walter Rodney’s radical thought and activism led to his eventual killing by a bomb in Guyana, in 1980.
The parking lot at Hilltop Mall sits empty on March 17, 2020 in Richmond, California.

The Commercial Real-Estate Market’s Impending Crash

Shopping malls are in trouble, as are the commercial mortgage-backed securities built around them. Can another 2008 be averted?