How and Why Public Opinion on the Death Penalty Changed
A look at the American public's ambivalent opinion of the death penalty.
Should Cell Phones Be Used in the Classroom?
When schools welcome the use of cell phones and other technologies in the classroom.
How the Black Panther Party Inspired the Aborigines
The Black Panther Party's influence was global in scope. We look at its influence amongst the Aborigines of Australia.
Dorothy Day and the Activism of the Catholic Church
We look back at the work of social activist Dorothy Day, who's staunch defense of labor unions fell in-line with the activism of the Catholic Church.
The John Lennon Memorial
Strawberry Fields, the John Lennon memorial in Central Park, has become somewhat of a pilgrimage for Beatles and non-Beatles fans alike.
The Canals of Mars
We now know there's liquid water on Mars, according to NASA. But at the turn of the 20th century, we believed something else: that Mars had canals.
Remembering the Dalai Lama’s First U.S. Tour
The Dalai Lama has been admitted to a hospital and has cancelled his schedule U.S. tour. We look back to 1979, the first year His Holiness came to America.
The Myth of Henry David Thoreau’s Isolation
The famous writer-observer of nature, Henry David Thoreau, fills the popular imagination. But have we mythologized the image of him as a recluse?
In Praise of the Messenger: Janus Films & The Criterion Collection
William J. Becker, co-owner of Janus Films, was instrumental in bringing art house and foreign cinema to American audiences. We reflect on his influence.
We’re Down to Half the Fish in the Sea
Since the 1970s, half of the world's fish population has disappeared. We trace the history of this ecological disaster.