Why We Love World Cup Anthems
The excitement of the FIFA World Cup is exemplified by the songs that become World Cup anthems—both official and unofficial.
W.B. Yeats Loved Tarot Cards
The august Irish poet was once a member of a secret occult order called The Hermetic Society of the Golden Dawn. He was also an avid student of the Tarot.
Wild and Finally Free in Lauren Groff’s Florida
Lauren Groff’s latest story collection explores the literary archetype of the Orphan.
Baby Food for Baby Boomers
Modern baby food didn’t exist until 1928, when Daniel Gerber launched his first line of mass-produced canned strained peas for babies.
Hippo Poop Kills Fish, but There’s an Upside
A robot disguised as a crocodile is helping scientists understand that mass fish die-offs serve a purpose.
The Park of Monsters
Constructed in the mid-16th century by Pier Francesco "Vicino" Orsini, this bizarre pleasure garden features twelve strange, disturbing statues--and no one knows why.
Family Separation, Depression, and Fairy Changelings
Well-researched stories from The Cut, Longreads, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
“Saint” Anne Frank?
Pop culture has made Anne Frank into an icon, but one scholar notes that she was a terrified child trapped and killed by war, and should be seen as such.
High Cuisine in Ancient France
An archaeologist explores how the division of upper- and lower-class cuisine may have developed in France more than 2,000 years ago.
What is Memory?
Research suggests that memories may alter the brain's architecture, forming new synapses and strengthening existing ones.