G. Legman and the Bawdy Eclectic
A fierce opponent of censorship, Gershon Legman helped legitimize the academic study of erotic folklore as manifested in jokes, limericks, and songs.
Combustible Cinema? The Nitrate Film Issue
The early plastic called celluloid was made of nitrocellulose and camphor. It made for spectacular pictures. It also made for spectacular fires.
Generating Electricity…and Uncertainty
As the tobacco and electrical industries demonstrate, US corporations have a history of sowing doubt for profit.
Astronomers Use AI to Shed Light on Dark Energy
A new measurement offers insights on the density of the mysterious force driving the Universe’s expansion.
A Computer in Every Kitchen?
The 1969 Honeywell Kitchen Computer is a case study of early computer failures—or is it?
Where Tulpas Come From
Created through the power of the human mind, tulpas bear little resemblance to anything found in the Tibetan traditions in which they allegedly originated.
Colonial Masquerade: Convict, Pirate, Gentleman, Con
The convict ships that colonized Australia carried people desperate to get out of their sentence. At least, that was true of Michael Stewart.
Self Care and Community in 1901 Indianapolis
For Black women engaged with local institutions, the “Delsarte” technique was a means of supporting struggling city residents while advancing political power.
Home Front: Black Women Unionists in the Confederacy
The resistance and unionism of enslaved and freed Black women in the midst of the Confederacy is an epic story of sacrifice for nation and citizenship.