Alexander Calder, Sculptor
Calder was known for both his delicately balanced kinetic sculptures and the massive steel abstractions he designed for public squares around the world.
The History of Peer Review Is More Interesting Than You Think
The term “peer review” was coined in the 1970s, but the referee principle is usually assumed to be as old as the scientific enterprise itself. (It isn’t.)
Abraham Lincoln’s Labor Theory of Value
Abraham Lincoln was no Marxist, but his ideas about the relationship of labor and capital mirrored Marx’s in some ways—albeit with a rural American flavor.
Designing the Dummies
The science behind using crash test dummies to determine the effects of car crashes on the human body only dates to the 1960s.
Going Postal at the Qiaopiju
The Chinese Qiaopiju, or “overseas letter offices,” lasted for a century, ending only when the foreign governments implemented anti-communist banking controls.
Why Architects Need Philosophy to Guide the AI Design Revolution
Architecture in the age of AI—argues professor Nayef Al-Rodhan—should embed philosophical inquiry in its transdisciplinary toolkit.
The Numbers vs. the Lottery
Between the 1960s and 1980s, state governments created lotteries to supplant illegal gambling operations that brought revenue to marginalized communities.
How Do You Like Your Steak? Rare, Medium, or Bright Blue?
In 1973, an experiment with dyed food and colorful lights had participants vomiting up their half-finished meals. But did it really happen?
Attacking Italians in Louisiana
Italian immigrants had no qualms about working and living alongside Black Americans, which made them targets for violence by white vigilantes in Louisiana.
Battery X: A Secret Test of Women at War during WWII
Although their contributions have been largely forgotten, women played an active role in Washington DC’s air defense system during World War II.