Where Witch Hunts Began
Although witch hunts are associated with 17th-century Salem, many hundreds of thousands of "witches" were killed in Europe from the 13th century on.
What’s Killing European Trees?
Soil fungi supply nutrients to trees, but as they wither from pollution, trees suffer too.
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.
Hidden Poisons of the Royal Court
How noble lords and ladies, terrified of poison, unknowingly poisoned themselves on a daily basis.
What a 16th-Century Abortion Ban Revealed
In 1588, Pope Sixtus V issued a papal bull officially classifying abortion, regardless of the stage of fetal development, as homicide.
Ruth Mazo Karras
Ask a Professor offers an insider’s view of life in academia. Up this month: Ruth Mazo Karmas, Professor of History at the University of Minnesota.
NATO Survives its Identity Crisis
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began on April 4, 1949, creating an alliance promising mutual defense against potential Soviet aggression.
Why Does the IMF Care if Britain Leaves the EU?
The IMF is warning against a "Brexit." But what's the history behind the organization that has such an influence in world financial affairs?
The Real Meaning Behind Russia’s Eurovision Controversy
The annual Eurovision contest often serves as a stage on which political tensions play out.
If Inequality Is the Question, Is Social Democracy the Answer?
How do social democratic ideas work in other countries? And would those same policies reduce the wealth gap in the U.S.?