The Medieval Castle That Pranked Its Visitors
At Hesdin, in France, the idyllic beauty of the grounds met the sadistic slapstick of the castle’s “engines of amusement.”
The Cries Heard Around the World
ProPublica's audio of crying children in detention centers touched a nerve. Humans are keenly attuned to the sounds of crying, in part because of evolution.
When “Foreigners” Were Blamed for a Baseball Scandal
In the early 20th century, baseball was a magnet for illegal gambling. But when the Chicago White Sox threw the World Series, Jews became the scapegoats.
The Mumbai Couple Suing for Their Right to Die
Eighty-seven-year-old Narayan Lavate, and his wife, Iravati, 78, say they are “leading unproductive and obsolete lives.”
The River Basin Surveys Preserved American Prehistory
Between 1945 and 1969, archaeologists hurriedly surveyed over 20,000 prehistorical sites before the Mississippi River Basin was flooded by dams.
How Antebellum Christians Justified Slavery
After Emancipation, some Southern Protestants refused to revise their proslavery views. In their minds, slavery had been divinely sanctioned.
Getting a Grip on Slavoj Žižek (with Slavoj Žižek)
The Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek is famous for his provocative takes, but how should we understand his basic ideas?
Losing Our Marbles
For decades kids across the world played with marbles, creating their own games and slang. So why did such a popular game go suddenly extinct?
When Weddings Went Commercial
The rise of industrial production and commercial marketing transformed the way that well-to-do Americans celebrate weddings.
