How to Get People to Vote
In United States midterm elections, it is common for as few as 40% of eligible adults to vote. Why it matters, and some possible solutions.
The Curious Voyage of HMS Endeavour
Captain James Cook had secret orders to to search for a predicted Southern Continent. He ended up claiming New Zealand and part of Australia for the U.K.
The Invisible Struggles of the Civil War’s Veterans
Many Civil War veterans like Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain came out of combat with injuries and lasting disabilities that no one could see.
The Anthropology of the Office Email
Researchers learn a lot from studying office workers' email. But the question remains: do they learn more about the people, or about the medium itself?
How Victorian Mansions Became the Default Haunted House
Quick: Picture a haunted house. It's probably a Victorian mansion, right? Here's how these structures became signifiers of horror, haunting, and death.
Angry Women, Captive Jaguars, and Brainy Catholics
Well-researched stories from the New Yorker, Pacific Standard Magazine, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Before Rush Limbaugh, There Was Boake Carter
When Boake Carter opened his mouth, he whipped up tempers and tempests. But who was he?
The Most Abundant Creature You’ve Never Heard Of
Conodonts are actually older than the oldest previously known vertebrates, making them the earliest known “skeletonized” vertebrates in existence.
The Divide in Feminist Ethics on Mothering
In the 1960s, two groups of feminists had very different views about motherhood. Unsurprisingly, race and family played a role.
Why Do Some People Have Curly Hair and Others Straight?
Either environmental or sexual selective pressure began acting on hair after humans began dispersing out of Africa.