Video Game Streams Are Creating New Forms of Community
Khasino, a Marvel Strike Force streamer on Twitch, makes his living playing video games for an audience.
The Invention of Journalistic Objectivity
In the contemporary United States we tend to expect journalists to separate fact and opinion. It's actually a relatively new phenomenon.
A 19th-Century Catfishing Scheme
In the late 1800s, a U.K. scheme lured lonely bachelors with newspaper advertisements supposedly placed by wealthy women.
How to Eat Seafood — Sustainably
Fish stocks are collapsing. But you can still enjoy your freshest local seafood without feeling too guilty—and here’s why.
On Brands’ Bad Social Media
The phenomena of brands trying to tweet like teenagers might be new, but brands have been trying to seem cool for decades.
Co-Living, the Hot New Trend of 1898
Chicago's "Eleanor Clubs" were designed to give young, working women affordable and congenial places to live.
What We Mean By “Better Living”
How advertising used the phrase “better living” to portray big business as a force for moral good and continuous progress.
Maps Showed People Their Worlds
In the 19th century, most Americans weren't used to seeing maps of their communities. New forms of color lithography changed all that.
The Revolutionary Past of Plastics
When plastics were first invented, they seemed to promise a utopian future.