Best of Suggested Readings from 2020
Well-researched stories about the upside of public shaming, the octopus's sense of taste, and more from publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
James Tiptree Jr. and Joanna Russ: Sci-Fi Pen Pals
The two feminist authors corresponded about writing and romance, especially after Tiptree's true identity leaked.
How Scientists Tried to Find a Universal Flu Vaccine
The quest to “conquer” influenza with a shot that could be used every year started out with high hopes, and ended up a hot mess.
Wren Folklore and St. Stephen’s Day
The tiny winter songbirds are clever kings to the Irish. They're also fodder (literally) for post-Christmas ritual.
Stamp Collecting as Metaphor for the Free Market
The hobby was originally pursued by middle-class women and children. But its resemblance to capitalist values made it attractive to men.
Our Editors’ Favorite Stories of 2020
This tectonic year brought shocks to the world, and though we don't know how it'll all shake out, we hope we've brought you nerdy joy.
How to Revive a Dead Language
Although it was the language of sacred texts and ritual, modern Hebrew wasn't spoken in conversation till the late nineteenth century.
Puritans, Altered Science, and Paradoxical Sunflowers
Well-researched stories from The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Atlantic, and other publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Jacobin Hating, American Style
The most radical faction of the French Revolution was hated by everyone in the United States from reactionaries to abolitionists.