When New Yorkers Burned Down a Quarantine Hospital
On September 1st, 1858, a mob stormed the New York Marine Hospital in Staten Island, and set fire to the building.
Why Are Cities Filled with Metal Men on Horseback?
The original inspiration for the now-ubiquitous equestrian statue, a classical bronze of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, was almost melted down and lost forever.
Can Fire Destroy the Amazon?
The massive fires of 2019 have many asking the question: is there a "tipping point" beyond which the Amazon cannot recover?
When Puppet Shows Were Too Violent For Kids
How much violence do we accept in our entertainment? 19th-century Punch and Judy shows were misogynistic, murderous, and definitely not for children.
The Old New Trend of Sober Curiosity
Abstaining from alcohol is a new trend with a long, long history.
Why Everyone Doesn’t Value Choice to the Same Degree
Studies show that college-educated white Americans value having choice -- and yet having too much choice can paralyze and lead to dissatisfaction.
Climate Change and Syria’s Civil War
Some scholars and scientists are calling climate change the invisible player in Syria's ongoing civil war. But is that too simplistic an explanation?
Jane Fonda Changed Fitness Forever
Jane Fonda's workout videos cracked open the idea of who exercise was for, but only to an extent.