When FDR Tried to Pack the Courts
Pushing New Deal legislation, FDR proposed that extra justices should be added to the Supreme Court, one for every sitting justice over the age of seventy.
The Problems with Supersonic Flight
Supersonic aircrafts are much faster than typical passenger planes. Unfortunately, there are some downsides.
How High School Reunions Connect Us With the Past
High school reunions have become an important part of managing and presenting identity, as these scholars and poets consider.
Should Manhattanites Worry About the New Manhattanish-Size Iceberg?
Probably. If all Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets melt, the sea level will rise over 200 feet.
Rats, Aliens, and Killer Yeast
Well-researched stories from Pacific Standard, Slate, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Iris Origo’s Italian War Diary
The marchese's 1939-1940 diary, detailing the months before Italy's armed alliance with Nazi Germany, is now available as A Chill in the Air.
Is Mandatory Military Service Good for a Country?
A prescribed period of civic service may offer benefits, promoting active citizenship across the socioeconomic divide and creating strong social ties.
When Dole Sent Georgia O’Keeffe to Hawaii
In 1939, Dole Pineapple Company sent Georgia O’Keeffe to Hawaii for three months in order to produce works that could be used in their advertisements.
The Incredible Phasmid Egg
Stick insects have eggs that look exactly like seeds. Scientists can't figure out why these masters of camouflage would lay eggs that resemble bird snacks.
The Odd History of the Adirondacks
The largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi was deemed "Forever Wild" in 1885. But it wasn't exactly created to preserve nature.