Border Walls are Symbols of Failure
From feudal fortresses to contemporary border barriers, walls have always offered more symbolic value than real protection.
Sorry, but Jane Eyre Isn’t the Romance You Want It to Be
Charlotte Brontë, a woman whose life was steeped in stifled near-romance, refused to write love as ruly, predictable, or safe.
An Untested Businessman Almost Became President During WWII
In 1940, Wendell Willkie ran against FDR. The rumpled "man of the people" was a New York businessman with no political experience, but voters loved him.
Is Illinois the Next Bald Eagle Watching Spot?
Once seasonal migrants, the iconic birds of prey are settling in the state.
The Strange Story Behind Your Breakfast Cereal
Kellogg's Corn Flakes were originally created by a doctor who believed bland food would reduce people's urge to masturbate.
Potato Words, Flaming Grapes, and Desegregation
Well-researched stories from Massive Science, Vox, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Judging Families at the State Fair
"Better Baby Contests" began as part of the Progressive Era push to improve children’s health and reduce infant mortality. Then eugenicists got involved.
Mating at the Zoo Can Be Dangerous
A Sumatran tiger killed the female he was meant to mate with. Mating endangered species in captivity has long been a problem, if not always to such dramatic effect.
How “Measured Militancy” Empowered California’s Fieldworkers
When Mexican-American fieldworkers' strikes didn't net results, César Chávez led the Ventura County Community Service Organization in alternate tactics.
Paper Nautilus, Octopus of the Open Sea
Why the argonaut, or paper nautilus, may be your new favorite cephalopod.