Have Chinese Restaurants Always Looked “Chinese”?
In some places, that red-and-gold flair might not fly.
In Han Dynasty China, Bisexuality Was the Norm
So tender was Emperor Ai’s love for his "male companion" that, when he had to get up, instead of waking his lover, he cut off the sleeve of his robe.
The First U.S.-China Trade Deal
The Treaty of Wanghia formalized the burgeoning ties between the two countries, opening the door to new commercial and cultural exchanges.
China’s New Silk Road
China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative involves significant funding for infrastructure projects around the world, aiming to improve trade and more.
Meet the Man Behind the Peony
In China, gramophone and camera in tow, botanist and explorer Joseph Rock collected seeds from the tree peony that bears his name.
The Truth about Laser Guns
The U.S. and most other large militaries have been trying to develop laser weapons for decades. Has China created the first portable laser gun?
The Science Behind Sonic Incidents
U.S. government employees stationed in Havana, Cuba, and Guangzhou, China, have experienced mysterious symptoms. Could the culprit be a sonic weapon?
How To Make a Leader Step Down
President Xi Jinping of China recently managed to abolish term limits. What compels some leaders to discard the rules of the very systems that led them to power?
Keeping Crickets for Luck, Song, and Bloodsport
Design can facilitate the worst of human instincts, including forcing animals into servitude and violence. Cricket cages tell stories about how people have treated the insects throughout time.