An Unhealthy Obsession with Avoiding Sin
In the early 20th century, "scruples" meant a neurotic fixation on sin. It seemed to mostly affect Roman Catholics.
How Urban Agriculture Can Meet Its Potential
New York City's urban agriculture has not been found to provide benefits to either hungry people or the environment. How could city farms work better?
Colonialism Created Navy Blue
The indigo dye that created the Royal Navy's signature uniform color was only possible because of imperialism and slavery.
The Hidden Extinction Crisis
The extinction crisis might be even worse than we think, because we tend to mostly pay attention to terrestrial vertebrates.
When Adventists and Mormons Turned Sex-Positive
How the once sex-averse Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Seventh Day Adventism embraced (married, monogamous) sex as a positive ideal.
When Big Rewards Don’t Pay Off
One would think that offering potentially big rewards would inspire workers to create better work. A study found a more complicated picture.
Do Airplanes Really Make You Sick?
A Curious Reader asks: Am I really at a higher risk of getting sick on an airplane?
The Life of Forgotten Poet Letitia Elizabeth Landon
She was known as the "female Byron." So why doesn't anyone read L.E.L. anymore?
The Evolution of Memorial Day
What started as a solemn commemoration of dead Civil War soldiers has become a celebration of summer. Here's why that makes total sense.
Joseph Priestley, Radical Inventor
How scientist and soda water inventor Joseph Priestley came to be an enemy of the state.