What Really Happened to the Megafauna
Could humans be responsible for the extinction of megafauna like giant sloths and mastodons?
Atlantic City’s Grand Casino Bust
Nearly every American is now within a few hours’ drive of a casino. But critics note that casino gambling has not delivered on its economic promises.
The Magic Lantern Shows that Influenced Modern Horror
Eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century audiences were delighted and horrified by these spectral apparitions conjured in dark rooms.
What Good Moms Buy
The way advertisers target mothers has changed along with the social understanding of American motherhood, one sociologist found.
My Summer of Watching Little Women
What the author learned from her mother, a feminist academic doing a research project on film adaptations of Little Women.
The Divine Power of Kings to Heal by Touch
Healing ceremonies showed that monarchs ruled by God’s will, as divine power worked through anointed hands.
When Reading Inspired Women to Change History
The "Friday Night" group was a cohort of prominent nineteenth century Baltimore women who met each week to read, write, and debate social issues.
Global Food Security: A Primer
World hunger is not caused by our inability to produce enough food. The problem arises because of the economic inequality that distorts food distribution.
The Pscience of Psychedelics
Researchers found that Psilocybin and other hallucinogens may prove helpful in their ability to quiet a portion of the brain connected to depression.
Who Gets to Make Commencement Speeches (and Why)?
Why are battles over just who gets the honor of toasting new graduates—and what they say—always so heated?