The Gender Politics of the First Boy Bands
Crooning, a musical style of the late 1920s and early 1930s, was fraught with gender panic. Where the singers manly enough?
The Real-Life Story Behind Number the Stars
An interview with Lois Lowry reveals that the popular children's novel Number the Stars was based on a true story of resistance to the Nazis.
Company Uses Mushrooms to Grow Plastic Alternatives
Plastic has become ubiquitous in our home and work lives, but it’s a pollutant that won’t break down. Mushrooms may provide a sustainable alternative.
Suggested Readings: Wolf Pups, Muslim Vikings, and the Disaster of Humanity
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.
Eroticism and Religion in Utopia
Some 19th-century utopian idealists took up deeply unconventional sexual arrangements based specifically on their religious beliefs.
When Ferns Were All The Rage
Despite the jurassic-sounding name, pteridomania (from the Greek for fern, plant and mania) was responsible for the 19th century fern leaf collector's job.
Is Human Mistreatment of Animals Killing Our Planet?
Most people treat animals as tools for improving human lives. But recent reports reveal (mis)treatment of animals is harming the planet as a whole.
Robert H. Goddard, the Forgotten Father of Rocketry
Robert H. Goddard is acknowledged by many as the "father" of rocketry, but it's a strange paternity since he had so little influence on his contemporaries.
How Thrift Stores Were Born
According to the Association of Retail Professionals, about 16 to 18 percent of Americans shop at thrift stores in any given year.
The Bird-Catching Pisonia Trees
Found mainly on Caribbean islands, Pisonia trees resemble any typical large, tropical tree. Typical, that is, until you notice the bones.