Suggested Readings: Plastic and Salt, Memory and Punishment, Nazis and Medievalists
Well-researched stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship. Brought to you each Tuesday from the editors of JSTOR Daily.
America’s Unlikely Cold War Weapon
During the Cold War years, the distribution and selection of American books had to change with changing objectives overseas.
Natural and Man-Made Disasters, from Atom Weather to Fire Ants
Mother Nature’s wrath can be unpredictable and random, but history shows that humankind is ultimately responsible for many "natural disasters."
The 17th-Century Dutch Version of Bookstagram
Jan Davidszoon de Heem, one of the greatest still-life painters of the 17th century Dutch Golden Age, brought particular brilliance to book still-lifes.
How Typewriters Changed Everything
Voice recognition technology is beginning to compete with typing. Would the end of typing change the business world forever?
Public Baths Were Meant to Uplift the Poor
In Progressive-Era New York, a now-forgotten trend of public bathhouses was introduced in order to cleanse the unwashed masses.
The Victorian Debate Over Rabies
Rabies began a contentious debate between Victorian pet owners and veterinary experts about how to regulate dog health. Rough.
Why There’s A West Virginia
West Virginia declared its independence from the secessionist state of Virginia in the middle of the Civil War and became the 35th state.
Is it Smart To Cut Foreign Aid Because of Human Rights Abuses?
Recently, the US denied Egypt nearly $96 million in international aid, as chastisement for the country's abysmal human rights record.
Prince Rupert’s Drops of Mystery
400 years of trying to solve the mystery of Prince Rupert's Drops, bizarrely hard beads of glass that have long captivated scientists.