A can of mock turtle soup

The Real Joy of Mock Food

"Wow, this really kind of tastes like turkey.”
The Irish Elk

The Cartoonishly Giant Antlers of the Irish Elk

The mystery of the Irisk Elk's giant antlers attracted the attention of famous evolutionary biologist Steven Jay Gould.
"The Vexed Man" by Franz Xaver Messerschmidt at The Getty Center in Los Angeles, California.

The Man Whose Face Got Stuck Like That

No one could have predicted Franz Xaver Messerschmidt’s turn to the bizarre.
Mary Pickford, 1916

Mary Pickford Knew Not to Take the First Offer

When the 17-year-old actress auditioned for her first film, director D.W. Griffith offered her $5 a day. That wasn’t good enough for Mary.
Norsepower Rotor Sails onboard the Maersk Pelican

Wind Power Returns to the Shipping Industry

The industry explored the idea of using actual sails, but modern turbine-based wind power will significantly reduce emissions.
Marvel Alliance members facing off enemies in a multiple player game

Video Game Streams Are Creating New Forms of Community

Khasino, a Marvel Strike Force streamer on Twitch, makes his living playing video games for an audience.
A family poses for a portrait in front of a fabric backdrop on the veranda of their home, in the early 1900s.

What the Reconstruction Meant for Women

Southern legal codes included parallel language pairing “master and slave” and “husband and wife.”
Hot Shot members from Zuni, NM

How Native Americans Came to Fight Southwestern Fires

The practice began with the 1933 creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and, specifically, its Indian Division.
A bag of coffee beans

Environmental Challenges Ahead for Coffee Beans

The issues aren’t limited to extreme weather events or pest attacks.
Water being poured into a brain

Clean Brains, Fake Languages, and Scary Tech

Well-researched stories from Wired, The Conversation, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.