American History
Monopoly Fans Have Spoken: Cats Are In, Irons Are Out
As Hasbro welcomes the sleek, new silver kitty, it bids farewell to the age-old iron
February 06, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Sorry, Malcolm Gladwell: NYC’s Drop in Crime Not Due to Broken Window Theory
We have no idea why crime dropped, but it had nothing to do with broken windows or police strategy
February 06, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Should the Constitution Be Scrapped?
In a new book, Louis Michael Seidman claims that arguing about the constitutionality of laws and reforms is the cause of our harsh political discourse
February 05, 2013 |
By Amy Crawford
There’s No Such Thing as a Concussion-Proof Helmet
Essentially, if you put 15 inches of foam on the outside of the helmet, you can make a concussion free helmet. But that's completely impractical
February 04, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Why Did the Lights Go Out in the Superdome?
What actually caused the power outage in the 73,000 seat Superdome? Well, it's unclear
February 04, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Grand Central Terminal Turns 100
The iconic New York building, which celebrates its 100th birthday this weekend, has a storied past
February 01, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
The FBI Once Freaked Out About Nazi Monks in the Amazon Rainforest
In October 1941, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover received a strange bit of war intelligence in a classified document
February 01, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Unsuccessful Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln
On the eve of his first inauguration, President Lincoln snuck into Washington in the middle of the night, evading the would-be assassins who waited for him in Baltimore
February 2013 |
By Daniel Stashower
Lost and Found Again: Photos of African-Americans on the Plains
What would otherwise be a local-interest story became a snapshot of history integral to the American experience
February 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Events February 1-3: Maya Angelou, Black History Month Festivities and a Teen Poetry Slam
This week, meet world-renowned Civil Rights poet Maya Angelou, celebrate Black History Month and watch Washington D.C.'s most articulate teens battle in rhyme.
January 31, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
1913 Nickel Could Sell for More Than $2 MIllion
The coin is one of only five 1913 Liberty Head nickels known to exist, though this one has an illicit, serendipitous back story
January 30, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Time Capsule: A Peek Back to the Day When Elvis Made It Big
On this day in 1956, Elvis appeared on the CBS program, The Stage Show, to skeptical critics and enthused audiences
January 28, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Museums Delay Opening Due to Weather
Smithsonian museums in the Washington, D.C. area as well as the National Zoo will open at noon Monday, due to inclement weather
January 28, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
For Dogs, Max Is the New Spot, Even in New York City
In the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia, Max ranks as the number one name for male dogs
January 25, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Events January 25-27: Persian Drama, Inuit Face Tattoos and Schubert’s Fantasy
Friday, January 25: A Modest Reception Black comedy, handguns and huge bulging bags of money—three tantalizing teasers offered up in the intriguing trailer for the 2012 award-winning Persian film, A Modest Reception. The story opens on a couple from Tehran who hand out large sums of cash to the residents of an impoverished town and then documents their [...]
January 24, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
Sonar Uncovers Amazing Photograph of Sunken Civil War Ship
The USS Hatteras, sunk 150 years ago, was discovered and photographed recently using 3D sonar
January 23, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Dungeons & Dragons Is So Classic It Now Has Its Own Digital Archive
Guides and books from the past 40 years of Dungeons and Dragons are to be preserved online
January 23, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Sweet Potato Genes Say Polynesians, Not Europeans, Spread the Tubers Across the Pacific
Sweet potato samples preserved in centuries-old herbariums indicate that Polynesian sailors, rather than Spanish or Portuguese explorers, introduced the now-ubiquitous yam across Southeast Asia and the Pacific
January 23, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Polaroid Portraits: Capturing President Obama's Second Inauguration
We sent photojournalist Tamir Kalifa to the inauguration to ask attendees why they came to the National Mall
January 23, 2013 |
By Tamir Kalifa
