The Ig Nobels: The Lighter Side of Scientific Research
What exactly are the Ig Nobels? And what can we learn from the Journal of Irreproducible Results and the Annals of Improbable Results?
How Schools Got into the Job-Prep Business
Training skilled workers within a school system was a way to sell ordinary workers on the value of the industrial system and thwart union recruiting.
An App for Autism
For some families, Apple's assistant Siri has become a crucial bridge between their autistic children and the outside world.
Suggested Readings: The Rohingya’s History, Descartes in Context, and Sleepy Jellyfish
Well-researched stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship. Brought to you each ...
The New Victims of Climate Change: Plants, Parasites, and Pregnant Women
The recent series of hurricanes has demonstrated, climate change is no longer a nebulous futuristic menace, but an existential threat.
The New Censorship
Americans will rail against the government at First Amendment infringements. But the government isn't the only entity that can censor speech or ideas.
Why Human Echolocators Will Never Be As Precise As Bats
Research seems to indicate that human echolocation is surprisingly sophisticated, and may aid a deeper understanding of hearing and sensory perception.
Celebrate Banned Books Week
The last week of September is Banned Books Week, when the American Library Association calls our attention to works that have been censored.
How Jim Henson Changed Early Education and Brought Puppets Back
Jim Henson, born September 24th, 1936, died at the young age of 54 after changing the way American children learn and how their parents are entertained.
Why East Germany Loved the Wild West
During the Cold War, both the West and East Germany film industries made popular westerns. Yes, westerns. What was that all about?