Walt Whitman the… Politician?
Before Walt Whitman was a famous poet, he was a scandalous poet, but before even all that he was in the thick of local and national politics.
Suggested Readings: Evidence for Police Work, Nanotech for Agriculture, Categories for Thinking
Our suggested readings of stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
Who Needs Mitochondria Anyway?
Mitochondria was once thought to be an integral part of all complex organisms. Then this organism was discovered.
Rachel Carson’s Lasting Legacy
On this day in 1907, Rachel Carson—one of the greatest ecologists and nature writers of our time—was born.
When Do We Grow Up? After Graduation?
The age when we grow up and begin our adult lives has changed over the years.
English Sweating Sickness: The Epidemic You Forgot to Be Terrified Of
The 15th and 16th epidemics of English sweating sIckness still fascinate historians and epidemiologists.
Brexit What? On the Foundations of the European Union
The foundations of the European Union, which the UK is deciding to remain in or leave, are in coal and steel.
SFMOMA: The Brave New World of Art Museums
SFMOMA celebrated its 75th anniversary with a huge architectural expansion, only rivaled by its technological innovations.
The Real Reason Fine Art Costs So Much
To outsiders, art auctions can seem like a parody of bizarre spending by wealthy people. The origins of ultra-expensive art lies in the nineteenth-century.