How Global Colonialism Shaped Segregation
One of the first US municipal laws demanding residential segregation, passed in 1910 in Baltimore, has roots in European colonial policies.
The Overlooked Importance of Parasites
Parasites can be creepy, but according to some ecologists, parasites may substantially impact entire ecosystems—for the better.
Child Sacrifice in the Ancient Americas
At various sites throughout Peru and Argentina, archaeologists have found remains of child sacrifices.
American Film’s Disappearing Lesbians
In the 1990s, lesbian characters were repeatedly transformed into "close friends" in film adaptions of LGBTQ-themed books.
Edward S. Curtis: Romance vs. Reality
In a famous 1910 photograph "In a Piegan Lodge," a small clock appears between two seated Native American men. In a later print, the clock is missing.
The French Perfume Boom
The marketing of scents through clever branding, rather than real differences in what’s being sold, originated in nineteenth-century France.
After the Lava Stops
When volcanos erupt, the type and location of the lava determines what habitat will develop after it stops flowing.
Henrietta Lacks, Immortalized
Henrietta Lacks's "immortal" cell line, called "HeLa," is used in everything from cancer treatments to vaccines. A new portrait memorializes her.
The Bright Future of Bangladesh: Researching The Storm
An interview with Arif Anwar, whose debut novel covers sixty years of Bengali history in five love stories.
Can Consumer Groups Be Radical?
Historian Lawrence Glickman looked at the consumer movements of the 1930s to find out.