The Ban on Japanese Aircraft Pilots, 1945–1952
The defeated Japanese weren’t allowed to pilot, own, build, or even research airplanes during the post-World War II occupation by the United States.
Resisting British Hunters in India
In nineteenth-century India, many locals stood up against British hunting—sometimes at the cost of their own lives—as a means of cultural conservation.
Something Old, Something Pneu
Pneumatic tubes offered a leap forward in business and communications, in the office and across the city.
Picturing Christina of Denmark
Christina of Milan, Duchess of Milan, used an unusual tool to avoid becoming one of Henry VIII's unfortunate wives—the royal portrait.
How Hobbies Changed the Home
Basements, sheds, and workshops found their way into American homes because leisure activities pursued by men and boys were often loud and smelly.
Why TRAPPIST-1 Is Our Favorite Alien Planetary System
The TRAPPIST-1 system is a treasure trove of possibilities and questions. Observations by JWST have just begun.
What Does It Take to Be Crowned Miss Vietnam USA?
Beauty pageants, a familiar part of post-war diasporic Vietnamese culture, help participants and viewers forge new identities amid forces of globalization.
New Zealand’s Quest to Save Its Rotund, Flightless Parrots
DNA sequencing, GPS tracking and tailored diets are slowly restoring the endangered kākāpō.
Poland’s Colonial Dreams
With the resurrection of a Polish state in the aftermath of World War I, Poland seriously flirted with colonialism—in Liberia.
Coming Up Kudzu
Employed as a symbol of the American South or used as shorthand for unchecked growth, kudzu has demonstrated a tenacity beyond all imagination.