George Orwell’s 1984
George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 finds itself at the top of the best-seller lists this week, the first of Trump's presidency.
The Enduring Humor of New Yorker Cartoons
With 90 years of New Yorker cartoons, readers learn much about changing trends in political and social history, all while celebrating through laughter.
The Sexual Lessons of 1980s Teen Magazines
Teen magazines put girls in charge by inverting the male gaze
How Do We Know What Human Organs Do?
Apparently humans have a new internal organ. How can this be, and what does this "new organ" do?
Changing the Way We Die
Dying may seem like a straightforward business, but there are almost as many ways to approach the end of life as there are to approach life itself.
“Inner City” Myths and Realities
The history behind why urban black neighborhoods face much higher rates of poverty, crime, and overburdened schools than white suburban areas do.
Millennia of Mosaics
The mosaics in New York City's new 2nd Avenue subway stations follow a tradition thousands of years old.
Suggested Readings: Crowd Numbers, Baby Jokes, Magic Blood
Extra Credit: Our pick of stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
How Mr. Coffee Made Coffee Manly
Mr. Coffee, the first electric-drip coffee machine for home use, debuted in 1972, forever changing the way Americans made coffee.
The Many Unexpected Jobs of the Clubmoss Spore
The first working internal combustion machine debuted in 1807, powered by lycopodium powder, which is made of explosive plant spores.