The History of UFOs
UFOs are much older than the Cold War's flying saucers. These 1897 and 1909 sightings of flying machines were the talk of the town.
Nancy Reagan and the Paradox of Being First Lady
The role of the First Lady is undefined and dependent on the woman in the role, but it's a politically fraught one for all of them.
Who Doesn’t Like National Parks?
National parks and monuments have always been controversial, opposed by ranchers, farmers, resource, extractors, and small government conservatives.
The End of the Tour: Why Do We Travel?
Travel is commodity, a privilege, and a state of mind; a comfort to some and a trial to others.
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.