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.
The Rise of Anti-Societies
In the early 1800s, Americans formed all sorts of anti-vice societies, triggering jokes and serious resistance to reform through a wave of anti-societies.
Ancient Black Hole Challenges Our Understanding of the Early Universe
The Big Bang theory is not threatened, but astrophysicists have some explaining to do.
Weaponizing Homophobia in Ireland
One of the arguments of Irish nationalism was that English rule was morally corrupting. There was no better example of this than same-sex desire.
Editors’ Picks of 2023
Alien pastures, football in prison, and the Prairie School: a collection of this year’s greatest hits from JSTOR Daily.
Free Wheeling: Shopping Carts and Culture
The invention of the shopping cart changed our purchasing patterns, but the way we use it also reflects how we live life on the streets.