An Archeologist’s Guide to Beer Cans
Here's how to figure out how long it's been since someone left their empties around, only to be dug up later.
The Disappearing Culture of Purple Martin Landlords
“You have to have almost a cruel streak in you to be a successful Martin landlord."
Plant of the Month: Agarwood
Agarwood has long been prized for its olfactory splendor. Its essential oil is even known as liquid gold today.
A German Klan in the Weimar Republic
The little-known story of how the vicious American hate group spawned a counterpart in 1920s Germany.
Eating Worms, Keening, and Sea Shanties
Well-researched stories from The Guardian, Nursing Clio, and other publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Why Are So Many Romances Set in the Regency Period?
The British Regency era lasted less than a decade, but it spawned a staggering number of unlikely fictional marriages.
The First Vietnamese in America
Before 1945, many Vietnamese migrants to the United States were laborers. One was Ho Chi Minh.
How Courageous Should Nurses Have to Be?
According to three scholars, it's asking a lot for health care professionals to be completely selfless.
What’s the Difference between a Shanty and a Sea Song?
“Soon May the Wellerman Come” is the heart of ShantyTok—but it’s not a sea shanty at all. Two authoritative essays roil the waters.
How the Civil War Got Its Name
From "insurrection" to "rebellion" to "Civil War," finding a name for the conflict was always political.