Is the “Resource Curse” a Myth?
Countries like Liberia and Chad have a lot of oil, and yet little of their wealth has translated into public welfare. Some blame the "resource curse."
Google Is Old Enough to Drink
Since its first birthday, in 1999, the celebrated technology company has defined how we allocate our attention.
The Strange Case of Daniel Defoe’s Civet Scheme
In the 17th century, these animals were prized for their musk. So when the not-yet-famous writer Daniel Defoe needed quick cash, he turned to civets.
Indian Classical Dance and the Power of “Oneness”
Kathak is a classical form of Indian dance. Its practitioners use movement and gesture to tell stories, transcending gender and selfhood.
Forest Economies, Spy vs. Spy, and Nuking Hurricanes
Well-researched stories from Quanta, Wired, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Eleven Poems for Fall
Cozy up to autumn with verse from Dylan Thomas, Rainer Maria Rilke, Robert Frost, Rita Dove, and more.
The Beloved, Bedeviled Banana
The Cavendish banana is currently threatened by a fungal disease. A similar disease all but wiped out its predecessor, the Gros Michel banana.
The Dawn of WWII, According to the Chief of British Secret Intelligence
An original essay from 1939.
Richard Prum: How Does Beauty Evolve?
Prum speaks on Darwin’s idea of sexual selection, the importance of arbitrary traits, and why he could never choose a favorite species of bird.
How Colonialism Shaped Body Shaming
When did heaviness and curviness in women become connected with the idea of "savagery"? It has a lot to do with 19th-century imperialist world views.