Why Are Diamonds More Expensive Than Water?
Water is simultaneously one of the few things we absolutely cannot live without, and one of the things we value least. There's an economic rationale behind that.
The Unexpected Result of Australia’s Dingo Fence
The story of dingoes in Australia is the first recorded case where an introduced predator has taken on such a functional role in its adopted ecosystem.
Murphy Brown, Motherhood, and “Family Values”
Murphy Brown represented a threat to “family values”—a position that inherently placed her on the side of the families of color whose single family structures supposedly threatened the white, middle-class status quo of the 1990s.
The Truth About J. Edgar Hoover’s “Cross-Dressing”
The story of J. Edgar Hoover dressing in women's clothing is part of American myth. But does this story tell us more about Hoover or about the nature of gossip?
How the Memphis Sanitation Strike Changed History
How the Memphis Sanitation Strike, with its iconic “I AM A MAN” signs, helped deepen Martin Luther King, Jr.'s radicalism in the last months of his life.
Should Parents Fear the Sandbox?
The good news is that most parents living in sanitary environments really don’t need to worry about toxocariasis. The bad news is that toxocara may be yet another obstacle placed in front of disadvantaged children.
The Secret History of Menstruation
Menstruation is both a mundane fact of life and an oddly under-discussed subject. For many centuries, Western industrial societies have simply ignored it.
On the Side of Climate Solutions: An Interview with Paul Lussier
How to energize people, work with business, and develop solution-focused rhetoric and strategy before it’s too late.
How Wild Animals Self-Medicate
The range of animals known to make use of available medicinal materials includes orangutans, dogs, parrots, spider monkeys, lizards, and lemurs.
Small Poppy Syndrome: Why are Australians so Obsessed With Nicknaming Things?
What's behind the Australian habit of nicknaming and abbreviating everything? Nicknames may just reveal how Australians see themselves and relate to each other.