Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan in 1897

Racism, the South, and Helen Keller

As one of her day’s most famous Southerners, Helen Keller was uniquely poised to point out—and challenge—that troubled racial heritage.
Mercury against a black sky

Where in the Solar System is Vulcan?

A hypothetical Planet Vulcan was the best explanation for strange astrological phenomena—until Einstein, that is. 
Sparse emergency room at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital

Quantifying Rape

 Rape has costs beyond the physical and emotional: Emergency room visits, therapy, rehab, wasted tuition, lost wages, and lifestyle changes expensive.
Cornelius Vanderbilt II House

Why We Obsess Over Other People’s Mansions

Gilded Age mansions were remarkably public places. Newspapers breathlessly followed their construction and the social lives that happened within them
James Baldwin by Allan Warren

Gay Culture: Ancient Wonder or Modern Creation?

Even at more open-minded times, gays and gay culture is always seen as a frivolous—a decorative, added bonus of civilization.
American Eel

For the Endangered American Eel, A Long, Slippery Road to Recovery

The endangered American eel, once abundant along the U.S. East Coast, is critically important in keeping rivers ecologically sound.
JSTOR Daily Friday Reads

Video Games, Italian Revolutionaries, and Anne Tyler

Our Friday Reads are these new books out this week, and related content you won't find anywhere else.
Black and white drawings of Neanderthals and other early men

Neanderthals Were Smarter Than You Think

Neanderthals, suggest recent studies, had complex societies and even some culture.
An updated periodic chart divided into a cube bookcase

What’s in a Name (Of An Element)?

Chemists recently announced the names of four newly discovered elements. Naming elements is serious business, and not without controversy.
Cecil the Lion

No, Trophy Hunting Won’t Protect Wildlife

Killing wildlife to save it isn't a viable strategy. We can create diverse, self-sustaining ecosystems without trophy hunting.