Despite all the whips and spurs involved, nineteenth-century Americans believed racehorses loved a little manly competition.

Jane Austen gave her character Emma Woodhouse plenty of off-putting qualities. So does she even deserve her popularity?

After World War II, many women in industrial jobs put down their wrenches. But the spirit of Rosie the Riveter couldn't be denied.

Does it seem like left-wingers have a monopoly on therapeutic ideas? Not so fast.

It would have been easy for censors to just ban the racist epithet during the classical era of film. Here's why it didn't happen.

The measure of thermal energy expended by exercise was adapted from the study of explosives and engines.

Some 19th-century naturalists believed that bugs could think and should therefore definitely know that biting is out of line.

The royal houses of Europe felt that it would be good for their sons to learn a manual trade. Artisans taught nobles to carve ivory on a lathe.

On the making of gospel music, from Gospel Pearls to Jesus Is King.

This plant’s animal-like behavior and alleged love-provoking abilities have sparked the imagination of everyone from early modern yogis to today’s scientists.