The French King Who Believed He Was Made of Glass
King Charles VI of France was the most exalted representative of a rash of "Glass Men," who appeared throughout Europe between the 15th and 17th centuries.
The Lost Tradition of New Year’s Day Calling
The colonial Dutch tradition of making social calls on New Year's Day in New York was no match for 19th-century-style partying.
The Age of the Bed Changed the Way We Sleep
One historian reconstructs what nighttime was like in early modern Europe, and how the darkness affected people's sleep patterns.
The Delicious Democratic Symbolism of…Doughnuts?
Doughnuts became popular during World War I, when Salvation Army volunteers—most of them women—made and served the soldiers million of doughnuts.
This Short-Lived Political Party Embraced Socks With Sandals
The Men’s Dress Reform Party (MDRP) called for liberation from dark, tightly-knit textiles...and had some ties to the eugenics movement.
Why Hot Air Balloons Never Really (Ahem) Took Off
More than two centuries after the invention of ballooning, Steve Fossett became the first person to solo circumnavigate the world in a balloon.
How the Victorians Went Camping
If you’re going camping this summer, will you rough it on a wilderness hike, or relax in a ...
The Illustrious History of the Avocado
Avocados had an important place in Mesoamerican peoples’ diet, mythology, and culture. It’s possible that they were eaten in Mexico 10,000 years ago.
How to Bathe Like a 18th-Century Queen
18th-century bathing was controversial. Some argued bathing was healthy, while others argued it could damage one's health.
The Rise and Fall of Pay Toilets
Vespasian's most useful contribution to history may well have been creation of pay toilets.