Pssst, Crop Circles Were a Hoax
In the late 1970s, mysterious circular patterns started showing up in farm fields.
The Rhythms of Shaker Dance Marked the Shakers as “Other”
The name Shaker originally comes from the insult “Shaking Quakers,” which mocked the sect’s use of their bodies in worship.
The Invention of Dessert
The English word “dessert” emerged in the seventeenth century, derived from the French verb “desservir.” But the concept has changed a lot since then.
The Importance of Technological Change in Shaping Generational Perspectives
If we name each generation based on the technological conditions it experienced, generations may soon encompass only a few years apiece.
Using God to Sell Soap
Ivory Soap got its name from Psalm 45.
1619, Woodstock, and the Origins of Life
Well-researched stories from The Guardian, Aeon, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Surgery for Stuttering
In the 19th century, Europe and the United States saw a "mania for operating."
Persuasive Cartography: An Interview with Map Collector PJ Mode
A collection of rare maps explores their power as visual messengers.
How Toxic Are Flood Waters?
While flood waters can be extremely polluted, researchers have found the lasting impact is different from what one might expect.
The Complicated Issue of Transableism
Some people born in able bodies feel as if they were meant to have disabilities. How should the medical community be responding?