violists laughing

Why Did the Violist Cross the Road?

Every subculture has its in-jokes. Classical musicians are no exception, and the punchline usually involves a viola.
A bear looks out of its cave over the snow covered terrain

The Mysteries of Hibernation

Bears in hibernation have a lot of physiological issues to solve.
A group of protesters holding a large sign reading, "Je suis Charlie."

A Cultural History of Satirical Cartoons and Censorship

Articles in JSTOR illuminate the long history of satirical cartoons and censorship.
Blue and red flashing police lights

The Roots of Modern Police Work

The beginnings of modern police work have roots in the colonial experience in Ireland.
The word "news" in old typeface on aged paper

Privacy, Journalism, and the Gilded Age

The interview is now such a standard part of journalism that it may come as a surprise to read that the New York Times editorialized against it in 1874.
The planet Mars

Is There Life on Mars?

Is there life on Mars? Probably not, but it's likely that there used to be.
The top of a government tax return form

Why Everyone Thinks They’re a Victim of Tax Policy

The House of Representatives recently agreed to extend some business tax breaks retroactively into 2014. But the Wall ...
Worried senior woman using laptop.

Fraud Against Seniors: Can Scholarship Help Fight It?

Are some seniors more in need of education than others about fraud against seniors?
Bohemian Waxwing 
Bombycilla garrulus
(Hilversum, The Netherlands)

When Birds Drink Too Much

In case you think a few drinks makes your singing better, it doesn’t—and the same goes for drunk birds.
View from the back row at the movies

Why Go to the Movies?

In 2014, attendance at the movies hit its lowest level in two decades.