The Trouble with Absinthe
When temperance advocates won the ban on absinthe in 1915, many of them saw it as the first step in a broader anti-drinking campaign.
Anthropologists Hid African Same-Sex Relationships
Sex between people of the same gender has existed for millennia. But anthropologists in sub-Saharan Africa often ignored or distorted those relationships.
Mount Everest’s Death Zone
The zone above 8,000 meters is known among mountaineers as the “Death Zone.” Why do most deaths in the high mountains occur at these extreme heights?
The Origins of Women’s Soccer
The British Ladies Football Club held their first match at Alexandra Park in Crouch End, London in 1895.
The Movable Tent Cities of the Ottoman Empire
The most lavish among them were festooned with colorful appliqué and brightened with gilded leather.
Are Smart Cities a Wise Idea?
When Google runs a smart city, who owns the data?
Men Suffer about 70 Percent of Fireworks Injuries
And other 4th of July facts.
Smells Like Divine Spirit
The 4th century was a turning point for the role of scent in the Christian church.
How Natural Black Hair at Work Became a Civil Rights Issue
On the 55th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, U.S. courts are still divided about African Americans’ right to wear their natural hair in the workplace.
A Century After They First Appeared, Electric Boats Are Making a Comeback
In the late 1800s, electric boats were a promising new technology. They are now enjoying a revival.