crowd of people

A Matter of Taste

The psychology of taste : we like what we can easily identify.
Rachel Louise Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964)

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.
Black and white photo from a couple dressed in 1940s style clothing

When Do We Grow Up? After Graduation?

The age when we grow up and begin our adult lives has changed over the years.
Dancing Skeletons, 'Dance of Death' Rare Books Keywords: epb 5822

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. 
Illustrated map of European countries

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.
Snøhetta expansion of the new SFMOMA, 2016; photo © Henrik Kam, courtesy SFMOMA

SFMOMA: The Brave New World of Art Museums

SFMOMA celebrated its 75th anniversary with a huge architectural expansion, only rivaled by its technological innovations.
Paul Gauguin, Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (When Will You Marry? ) 1892, oil on canvas, 101 x 77 cm

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.
Microscope view of thread-like cells

Guess What? You’re a Superorganism.

The White House has announced the "microbiome moonshot" – a push to understand the human microbiome.
An older female worker uses a machine to make a product

The Invention of Retirement

Retirement as a mass phenomenon didn’t start as a way for older people to enjoy themselves.
Extra Credit Suggested Readings from JSTOR Daily Editors

Suggested Readings: Drug Resistance, Dating, and Denim

Extra Credit: Our pick of stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship. ...