Mulberry tree Cambridge

When America Went Crazy for Mulberry Trees

In the early 19th century, mulberry trees became associated with economic prosperity and morally upright productiveness, leading to a speculative bubble.
Colorful donuts with different decorations

The Delicious Democratic Symbolism of…Doughnuts?

Doughnuts became popular during World War I, when Salvation Army volunteers—most of them women—made and served the soldiers million of doughnuts.
Glazed tiles wall of spanish province of Ciudad Real at Plaza de Espana, Seville, Spain

Is Don Quixote to Blame for Modern Movie Reboots?

The culture industry has long repackaged content from the past for the present. Just look at Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote.
colorful pills on black background

Paying People to Take Their Pills

The majority of medication-related hospital admissions were caused by noncompliance—when patients, for one reason or another, don't take their drugs.
antique cans

Frontier America in a Collection of Tin Cans

For Jim Rock, tin cans were as important as shards of ancient pottery. Each can told a story of nineteenth and twentieth century life in America.
Barista Coffee Shop Cafe in Portland Oregon

How Portland Became a Hipster Utopia

How did Portland, Oregon become a hipster haven? While other cities declined in the 60s and 70s, Portland looked at what they did and planned the opposite.
Diego Rivera sketch

The Jewish-American Writer Who Transformed U.S.-Mexico Relations

How did Anita Brenner, a Mexican-born, American Jewish writer and journalist use art to try to bridge the gap between the United States and Mexico?
Woman taking photo of pumpkin soup with smartphone

Don’t Buy Into the Authenticity Scam

We choose products and services partially based on how they make us feel, on meanings we derive from our choices.
Starbucks drinks

Why Brands Want To Be Your BFF

Most contemporary consumers consider ourselves too savvy to be taken in by a corporation’s attempts to integrate seamlessly ...
Mother holding her newborn baby child after labor in a hospital.

Saving the Lives of Mothers and Babies

Between 1930 and 1950, advances in medicine also contributed to continuing, dramatic improvement in infants’ survival chances.