Integrating Baseball, before Jackie Robinson
Black players were banned from Major League Baseball during the Jim Crow era. Other players walked the color line—gently.
The Nice Married Couple Who Inspired People to ’Shroom
In the 1950s, Gordon and Valentina Wasson encountered magic mushrooms. Then they wouldn't stop talking about them.
When Statutory Rape Laws Led to Forced Marriages
In early 20th-century New York, men accused of "ruining" women under eighteen could avoid prosecution by marrying them.
The Theory Journal: Still Trendy after All These Years?
A wave of academic periodicals devoted to theory started appearing in the 1970s. Criticism wasn't far behind.
How Women Fought Misogyny in the Underground Press
Men dominated the underground papers of the 1960s. Feminist journalists like Robin Morgan and Sheila Ryan called them on their sexism.
How Teenage Girls Invented Fandom
They were mocked for their obsession with movies. But the fan culture they constructed help build Hollywood.
The Bitter Truth About Bitters
A bottle of bitters from about 1918 had significant amounts of alcohol and lead—and not a trace of the supposed active ingredient.
Soil Health Can Positively Affect Farm Revenue
In a case study from Italy, researchers found that biodiverse soil had good economic results for farms.
What Happened to Peanut Butter and Jelly?
The rise and fall of the iconic sandwich has paralleled changes in Americans' economic conditions.
Fear of an Insect Planet
"Big bug movies" of the 1950s have been interpreted as projections of nuclear anxieties. But what if they were about...actual fear of bugs?