Can a Woman Be a Genius?
Many Edwardian progressives and utopians put their hopes in the exceptional individual who was able to overcome obstacles with a force of will.
Turf Algae and Kelp Forests
Structurally complex kelp forests, pushed beyond their tipping points, are being replaced by mat-like, low-structure turf algae around the world.
Serving Goodwill: US Women’s Tennis and Cold War Diplomacy
By dispatching women tennis players on world tours, the US Department of State hoped to garner approval for the American way of life.
Like Tomatoes? Join the Club
Organizers of girls’ tomato clubs hoped that members would learn not only how to grow tomatoes, but how to build a better future for themselves.
Neutrality: Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be
While Sweden has claimed a position of neutrality for more than two centuries, its policy of non-alignment was somewhat ambiguous during the Cold War.
The Unbearable Middle Passage
In the eighteenth century, doctors recognized melancholy as a disease endemic to groups forcibly displaced from their homes, particularly enslaved Africans.
How Street Dogs Spend their Days
Generally lazy, often friendly, the dogs of India know how to relax.
Carbon Offsets for the Hadza People, Swedish Meals, and Freedom in Taoism
Well-researched stories from Vox, Aeon, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Paying Moms to Breastfeed in Medieval Europe
The idea of offering remuneration to women for breastfeeding—even their own children—wasn’t unusual in late medieval and early modern Europe.
The Red Woodstock: Not Quite According to Plan
The 1973 World Festival of Youth and Students highlighted the paradoxes inherent in the East German socialist project.