Lovers of the Sun by Henry Scott Tuke

The Market Will Bare It: Transnational Nude Tourism

As Europeans recovered from the devastation of World War II, nude beaches appeared in France.
A grilled cheese sandwich

A Brief History of Comfort Food

Our newest culinary trend is also our oldest.
Capsicum annum peppers

Some Like Them Hot!

The long, wonderful history of the chili pepper.
A blue ocean below an almost cloudless sky

Escape Fantasies

From the archives: twelve tales of avoidance and self-preservation, right when you need them.
A man texting at night in his home

Why You Want to Text Your Ex in Quarantine

The psychology behind your urge to connect.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau in nature

Discovering the Joy of Solitude While Social Distancing

Does the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century Romantic notion of solitude offer a lesson for those practicing social distancing?
1932 Pittsburgh Crawfords

On the 100th Anniversary of the Negro Leagues, a Look Back at What Was Lost

A century ago, teams from eight cities formally created the Negro National League. Three decades of stellar play followed.
Pop art style comics panel angry woman grinding teeth with speech bubble and swear words symbols

The Theory of Cuss Word Relativity

Which words are considered taboo varies by place and time, scholars find.
A group of goths in Trafalgar Square, London, 1987

Goth Won’t Die, but It Wants a Funeral Anyway

Like its celebrated vampires, the Goth subculture has roots in a fascination with death and cultural transgression.
Tough Mudder

When Sports Have “Death Waivers”

Obstacle courses can draw thousands of participants to a single event, but legal scholars say they need scrutiny.