The Return of Torture
After being made illegal in the 19th century, why did torture return in the 20th century and why does it continue into the present?
Copernicus’s Body Identified by Stray Hair
Stuck in a book for centuries, strands of Copernicus's hair helped identify his body in 2005.
On Men and Women’s Public Speech
What we call “eloquence” in public speech is, essentially, code for values associated with masculinity.
Misunderstanding the Book of Genesis
A short history of the literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis reveals it's largely a modern dogma.
Why Did Pancho Villa Invade the U.S.?
The 100th anniversary of Pancho Villa's invasion of the U.S. raises the question of why he did it.
Stranger Danger: Rhetoric & Strategies of the “Missing Children” Movement
How language and statistics were used to frame the missing children crisis of the 1980s.
A Garden of One’s Own
As the suburbs emerged in the 19th century, middle-class women, barred from waged labor, took to their gardens to remain productive.
How the March Blizzard of 1888 Challenged New Yorkers’ Self-Perceptions
Winter's not over quite yet. The great Blizzard of 1888 was in March.
In Memoriam: Elizabeth L. Eisenstein
Elizabeth L. Eisenstein, who passed away this year at the age of 92, played a significant role in shaping our understanding of the print revolution.
The Temple of Apollo on the Ocean Floor
In 1993, divers discovered a shipwreck from the Hellenistic period off the coast of Turkey. It held marble columns from the Temple of Apollo.