Was Lydia E. Pinkham the Queen of Quackery?
She developed an immensely popular, if questionably effective, herbal remedy for “female complaints.” Pioneer in alternative medicine or...?
Don’t Buy Into the Authenticity Scam
We choose products and services partially based on how they make us feel, on meanings we derive from our choices.
The Rise of the City Bee—How Urbanites Built the 21st-Century Apiculture
Urban apiculture is a booming trend. But many metropolitan beekeepers also believe that bees fare better in cities than they do in the countryside.
The Marketable Misogyny of James Bond
The attitudes reflected in the James Bond franchise are wildly out of touch with social reality.
Sand? Mine!
Orca Quarry in British Columbia is one of a handful of mines feeding the nearly insatiable desire for sand and gravel in major West Coast cities.
Why The Young Pope Matters
Has anything like the events depicted in The Young Pope ever happened before? The answer, you may be surprised to learn, is yes.
Jane Addams’s Crusade Against Victorian “Dancing Girls”
Jane Addams, a leading Victorian-era reformer, believed dance halls were “one of the great pitfalls of the city.”
Microbes Might Paint Your Next Party Dress
The official “fashion month,” September has concluded its parade of gorgeous outfits. These contain harmful dyes, though. Can microbes make safer colors?