An Epitaph for Fido
Pet cemeteries document how humans’ relationships with their pets—and their deaths—have evolved since the Victorian era.
How Beer Came to Asia
Reactions to the introduced brew ranged from Japanese efforts to imitate German beers to a reluctance to imbibe among Muslims and Hindus in India.
The Unique History of the Meo Tribes of Mewat
The Meos are singled out as cow slaughterers by vigilantes, but their heritage combines Hindu cultural practices—including raising cattle—with the Islamic faith.
Belize: On the Way to Somewhere
After declaring independence from Great Britain in 1981, the Central American nation directed itself down a path to tourism and transformation.
A Messy Divorce: The Sino-Soviet Split
The ideological disagreements between two nations shattered the idea of monolithic communism and re-arranged the chessboard of the Cold War.
Ada Blackjack’s Secret Weapon
Memories of her son helped Blackjack to become the sole survivor of an ill-fated expedition to Wrangel Island.
The Delhi Durbars
Elaborate demonstrations of British royal ceremony fused with Indian tradition, these assemblies were meant to assert political dominance over Indian subjects.
Earthsickness At Sea
Early European circumnavigators thought that their long absence from land during sea voyages made them sick. (Spoiler alert: it was scurvy.)
Recycling… In Fifth-Century Britain
Once the Roman Empire crashed, so too did metal production in Britain. Luckily, scavenged metal could be reforged or used as is (because they needed spoons).
Getting Pickled With Joseph Stalin
The Soviet dictator was notorious for hosting drinking parties where vodka loosened the inhibitions of associates and got them to reveal their secrets.