The News Junkies of the Eighteenth Century
Hooked on viral news (or is it gossip?), today's Twitter hordes owe a lot to history's coffeehouses.
Kimberlé Crenshaw’s Intersectional Feminism
Legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw broke new ground by showing how women of color were left out of feminist and anti-racist discourse.
The Erotic Appeal of Alexander Hamilton
The handsome Founding Father has always had a robust fandom—even before the ten-dollar bill, or a certain musical.
Plant of the Month: Peony
Peony's effectiveness as an ancient cure translated into a tool of statecraft in the eighteenth century.
How Will a Coronavirus Vaccine Work?
Four different ways researchers use the virus's own structure to train our immune systems to exterminate it.
Meet Loveday Brooke, Lady Detective
Fictional detectives usually reflect conservative values. But the first "lady detective" story written by a woman broke boundaries.
The Surgeons Who Said No to Gloves
In the late 1800s, doctors in German-speaking countries were having trouble agreeing on one simple thing: whether to wear gloves during surgery.
When the Truman Campaign Used a Song from an All-Black Show
"I'm Just Wild about Harry" originated with the songwriting team of Sissle and Blake and first appeared in the Broadway musical Shuffle Along.
This Is How They Wiped Themselves in Ancient Rome
A very gross but extremely informative look at the archaeology of toilet hygiene.
Bella Abzug Began Her Career as an Anti-Racist Lawyer
As an outspoken lawyer, the future congresswoman defended a Black man accused of raping a white woman.