Communication
Broadcasting, journalism and the written word
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
This Computer Program Uses Old Headlines to Predict the Future
By analyzing old news, this artificial intelligence program can predict the future
February 04, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Readers Who Bought Lance Armstrong’s Book Want Their Money Back
Lance Armstrong's doping confession has cost him his Tour de France medals, sponsors and his charity. But now, readers who bought his books, want their money back too
January 24, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Stop Judging Jack Lew’s ‘Ridiculous’ Signature
Above, you can see signature of Jacob J. Lew, reportedly the top candidate to be the country’s new Treasury secretary. This scribble—a slinky? a bit of fuzz? a doodle of a caterpillar?—may be printed on every single new dollar bill. The signature is causing no shortage of judgment from media outlets like The New York Times [...]
January 10, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Candor and Lies of Nazi Officer Albert Speer
The minister of armaments was happy to tell his captors about the war machine he had built. But it was a different story when he was asked about the Holocaust
January 08, 2013 |
By Gilbert King
For the First Time Ever, The New York Times Is Making More Money From Subscribers Than From Ads
Good news for journalists, editors and newspapers: the New York Times paywall seems to be working
December 28, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Boy Who Became a World War II Veteran at 13 Years Old
In 1942, Seaman Calvin Graham was decorated for valor in battle. Then his mother learned where he'd been and revealed his secret to the Navy.
December 19, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
The Pope’s Tweets Are Official Church Doctrine
The pope is officially Tweeting now, under the handle @pontifex, and his Tweets are officially "part of the church's magisterium." Which means that anything he Tweets is the teaching authority of the Catholic Church
December 03, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Early History of Faking War on Film
Early filmmakers faced a dilemma: how to capture the drama of war without getting themselves killed in the process. Their solution: fake the footage
November 19, 2012 |
By Mike Dash
Reality Check: Does Oxytocin Keep Committed Men Away from Other Women?
The latest oxytocin study says the hormone makes committed men stay faithful, but some skeptics cry foul
November 16, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
How to Learn a Language in Less Than 24 Hours
A new company called Memrise says their app can teach you an entire language within hours
November 14, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Geronimo’s Appeal to Theodore Roosevelt
Held captive far longer than his surrender agreement called for, the Apache warrior made his case directly to the president
November 09, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
Uncovering the Truth Behind the Myth of Pancho Villa, Movie Star
In 1914, the Mexican rebel signed a contract with an American newsreel company that required him to fight for the cameras. Too good to be true? Not entirely
November 06, 2012 |
By Mike Dash
Lewis Lapham’s Antidote to the Age of BuzzFeed
With his erudite Quarterly, the legendary Harper’s editor aims for an antidote to digital-age ignorance
November 2012 |
By Ron Rosenbaum
When Republicans Were Blue and Democrats Were Red
The era of color-coded political parties is more recent than you might think
November 01, 2012 |
By Jodi Enda
In Honor of Wikipedia’s Near-Completion, Here Are Its Most Awesomely Weird Entries
Many of the main articles that the encyclopedia might have, from history to math and science, are almost complete. Thankfully we still have the weird Wikipedia entries to keep us entertained
October 26, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Journalist Who Says ‘I Told You So’ About Lance Armstrong
For 13 years, journalist David Walsh pursued his theory that Lance was doping, but the USDA's recent announcement finally vindicated his long-held beliefs with hard evidence
October 22, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Inside Google’s Top Secret Data Centers
It's the physical network of thousands of fiber miles and servers that create the multibillion-dollar infrastructure that makes Google Google
October 17, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Downer News Bums Out Women But Not Men
Bad news delivered through the media increases women's sensitivity to stressful situations, new research finds, but men are immune to such effects
October 12, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The First Anchorman Ever Was Not Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite is widely referred to as the world's first anchorman. But a man named John Cameron Swayze might have beat him to the punch
October 04, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
