The Bizarre Social History of Beds
For centuries, people thought nothing of crowding family members or friends into the same bed.
The East India Company Invented Corporate Lobbying
The historian William Dalyrmple's new book, The Anarchy, indicts the East India Company for "the supreme act of corporate violence in world history."
Will Graphene Deliver on Its Promise?
Strong, stable, and conductive at one atom thick, graphene has amazing potential in a variety of applications. But is hype all the material has?
Thanksgiving Has Been Reinvented Many Times
From colonial times to the nineteenth century, Thanksgiving was very different from the holiday we know now.
The “Parenting Tax” of School Choice
The framework of school choice imposes a kind of tax, one paid in the time and effort that it imposes on many black parents.
Chernobyl’s Control Room Is Open for Tourists
Who's up for a radioactive selfie?
The Fear of Being Buried Alive (and How to Prevent It)
Pliny the Elder remarked: “Such is the condition of humanity, and so uncertain is men’s judgment, that they cannot determine even death itself.”
The Critique of Pure Marathon
Marathon entrants today are more likely to be seeking personal validation rather than competitive victory.
The Weird Psychological Theory behind Gym Class
The initial promoters of gym class believed that a child’s mind would “remember” evolutionary phases through the stimulation of muscle tissue.
Will There Be Wine After Climate Change?
Vintners may have to adjust their centuries-old traditions to keep the wines flowing