What Are the Dog Days of Summer?
The "dog days of summer" are attributed to the rise of Sirius, the Dog Star, but research into the lore suggests another dog entirely.
The Value of Using Harry Potter to Teach Politics
A political scientist argues that Harry Potter can be used to teach students about politics, institutional behavior, globalization, and identity.
Vacationing with Julia Child
Want to get away this summer? Come daydream with us to the kitchen of Julia Child, in the south of France...
What We Saw Under the Microscope’s Lens
The lens, a tool technology that helps make the invisible world visible, brought a revolutionary perspective to our descriptions of nature.
What Beauty Product Trends Really Mean
American beauty products were once widely exported abroad and seen as representations of freedom and modernity.
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.
How Parents Watch Teachers
What parents watch teachers the most? Economic class has a lot to do with report cards.
Even Water? Why (And How) Muslims Fast During Ramadan
Ramadan is underway for the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims. This year, Ramadan takes place in the dead of summer, a particularly difficult time to fast.
An Object History of the Persian Carpet
The famous Persian carpet, woven by female artisans in southwestern Iran, may be going extinct. Its story can be told in spindles and whorls.