An Affordable Radio Brought Nazi Propaganda Home
In the 1930s, Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels led the charge to create a radio cheap enough that even workers could own one.
Why Civilizations End
Scientists studying fallen civilizations suggest that the culprit is overshoot in combination with climate change. What does this mean for our current era?
The Stolen Children of Argentina
Between 1976 and 1983, some 30,000 Argentines were "disappeared," their children seized by the junta. The Abuelas—the Grandmothers—of the Plaza refuse to forget.
What Life Was Like During the London Blitz
During WWII, 150,000+ people sought shelter in London's Tube stations each night. Over time, the various stations developed their own mini-governments.
The Romanticization of the Mediterranean
The idea that the disparate nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea represent a single region is the product of the nineteenth century.
Henges, Barrows, and Tombs: Ireland’s Archaeology
A drone flying over a field in Ireland was able to make out the outline of an ancient henge, a circular enclosure that may have had ritualistic purposes.
Clothing Britain’s Spies during World War II
To hide in plain sight while on assignment in foreign nations, agents needed precisely tailored clothes made to look local.
The Camouflage That Dazzled
During WWI, artist and British naval officer Norman Wilkinson came up with an idea so crazy it just may have worked: Dazzle Camouflage.
Where Witch Hunts Began
Although witch hunts are associated with 17th-century Salem, tens of thousands of "witches" were killed in Europe from the 13th century on.
Soccer and European Identity
Throughout Europe, soccer matches like the FIFA World Cup have become deeply significant, in part because that continent's identity is so complex.