The Flu Pandemic of 1918, As Reported in 1918
The Spanish Influenza pandemic 100 years ago was the most lethal global disease outbreak since the Black Death. What were people thinking at the time?
What Exactly is K-Pop, Anyway?
Since the late 90s, K-Pop has been one of South Korea's most important cultural exports. Fans have a deeply emotional attachment to the music.
Martin Luther King Jr. in His Own Words
The writings of Martin Luther King, not so well known as his speeches and acts of civil disobedience, are a rich source for those researching his life.
Why Economists Make Terrible Fortunetellers
Even the (presumably rational) economists of the world love to try to predict the future. They often get it wrong, suggesting that all the rational data in the world is rendered useless by the irrationality of human behavior.
What Awaits on the Dark Side of the Moon?
An unmanned Chinese probe will be exploring the moon's far side in 2018. The side that faces away from the earth differs significantly from the familiar face of the moon. So why are the two sides so different?
The Last Jedi’s Twisted Theory of the Self
In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rey and Kylo Ren share a telepathic bond forged by the Force, brilliantly illustrating Douglas Hofstadter's "Strange Loop" theory of the self.
Why the First Novel Created Such a Stir
Samuel Richardson's Pamela, the first novel in English, astounded and terrified readers. Authors have striven for the same effect since.
The Extremely Un-British Origins of Tea
Tea is bound up in the nation's history of colonial expansion. British tea drinkers preferred Chinese tea at first, and had to be convinced on patriotic grounds to drink tea from India.
Queer Time: The Alternative to “Adulting”
What constitutes adulthood has never been self-evident or value-neutral. Queer lives follow their own temporal logic.
Why Air Pollution Is a Socioeconomic Issue
Too much pollution can pose a health risk to anyone, but whether it is lethal or not mostly depends on the person's underlying health—and economic—status.