In Rome, Mourning Clothes as Political Resistance
In Ancient Rome, swapping one’s regular toga for the dirty, drab robes associated with mourning could request mercy, or communicate resistance.
Why the History of Science Should Matter to Scientists
Two historians consider the field of taxonomy to ask what history can provide science at the bench level.
How Black CB Radio Users Created an Audible Community
CB radio was portrayed as a mostly white enthusiasm in its heyday, but Black CB users were active as early as 1959.
Should We Go to Mars? Carl Sagan Had Thoughts
It'd be "a step more significant than the colonization of land by our amphibian ancestors some 500 million years ago." But Sagan had reservations.
Plant of the Month: Elderberry
The recent entrance of elderberry into mainstream success is marked by an increasing popular desire to engage with traditional, “natural” remedies.
Ham Radio and Gender Politics
During its heyday in the 1950s, ham radio was predominantly a hobby for middle-class men, based in suburban homes.
The Ecological Prescience of Dune
Frank Herbert’s novel isn't just about space messiahs, giant sandworms, and trippy space drugs. At its core, the sci-fi epic is about ecology.
Would You Let Your Servant Read This Book?
How the ban on D. H. Lawrence's book Lady Chatterley's Lover was reversed.
E. O. Wilson and Biodiversity
Everyone talks about biodiversity these days, but an entomologist just might be its fiercest advocate.