Well-researched stories from The Atlantic, Public Books, and other great publications.

In 1790, U.S. men were about twice as likely as U.S. women to be literate. But by 1870, girls were surpassing boys in public schools.

Recent flooding in Venice has revived memories of a record-setting 1966 flood, which sparked an international rescue program for art and architecture.

The founder of cultural anthropology, Franz Boas challenged the reigning notions of race and culture.

A trial in the court of public opinion.

What does it really mean for a nation to be “in decline?” And why does it make for such appealing political rhetoric?

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are envisioning a toilet that can analyze urine for indicators of disease.

There’s a specific term for these irregular pearls: “baroque,” from the Portuguese barroco.

If you were reading Bradford's version of events, you might think that the survival of the Pilgrims' settlements was often in danger.

The Comte de Buffon's thirty-six volume Natural History claimed that America was a land of degeneracy. That enraged Thomas Jefferson.