A Novel Defense of the Internet
Novel reading was once regarded as an idle occupation, just as Internet use is now.
The Mysterious Ocean of Enceladus
Saturn’s moon Enceladus has a secret. For some years, scientists have been convinced that there is a liquid ...
Why Was Turkish Delight C.S. Lewis’s Guilty Pleasure?
Austerity during WWII was hardly the time for pounds of exotic candy. Yet The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe prominently features Turkish delight.
America’s Workforce Runs on Uppers
Uppers like Benzedrine and cocaine provided a willing workforce for our capitalist economy. Now, Americans are turning to ADHD medications.
The End of the Tour: Why Do We Travel?
Travel is commodity, a privilege, and a state of mind; a comfort to some and a trial to others.
Dear Pedants: Your Fave Grammar Rule is Probably Fake
What constitutes ‘correct’ grammar in English seems to have a cyclical life, aided and abetted by new generations of enthusiastic grammarians.
Will Art Save Our Descendants from Radioactive Waste?
What if the great threat to human life isn't a bomb dropping down from above but radioactive waste creeping up from below? Will art come to our rescue then?
History’s Other Odd Couple: Mark Twain and Helen Keller
Helen Keller and Mark Twain's unusual friendship.
“It’s the psychology, stupid.” What really decides elections?
The "rational choice" model alone doesn't account for voting behavior. So what does?
What If the World Were Flat and Columbus Had Fallen Off the Edge of the Earth?
What if Columbus had never made it to America?