Culture
Shared traditions, belief systems and values among a social group
The Stupid Reason the NHL Drafts Older Players First
Take note, coaches: stop listening to Malcolm Gladwell, and start listening to science
March 01, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Fishy History of the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Sandwich
How a struggling entrepreneur in Ohio saved his burger business during Lent and changed the McDonald's menu for good.
March 01, 2013 |
By K. Annabelle Smith
The Lost Tribes of the Amazon
Often described as “uncontacted,” isolated groups living deep in the South American forest resist the ways of the modern world—at least for now
March 2013 |
By Joshua Hammer
Why Was This Man an Outcast Among Anthropologists?
Napoleon Chagnon’s new memoir reignites the firestorm over his study of the Yanomamö
March 2013 |
By Joshua Hammer
What Makes These Avocados Different From All Others?
The spectrum of the fruit here is almost as varied as the people who grow them, and for avo advocates, Ecuador is a excellent place to go tasting
February 26, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
10 Vintage Menus That Are a Feast for the Eyes, If Not the Stomach
From the late-19th century to the 1970s, restaurants had one surefire way of standing out
February 26, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Scientific American in 1875: Eating Horse Meat Would Boost the Economy
Where did our aversion to horse meat come from, and why did Scientific American think we should eat it anyway?
February 25, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
More than Half of Our ‘Tuna’ Isn’t Really Tuna
Around one-third of 1,200 seafood samples from restaurants and grocery stores around the U.S. were not from the fish their label claimed to be
February 22, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Meals in a Jar: From Pancakes to Baby Back Ribs, Just Add Water
Ready-made meals, good for months on a pantry shelf, work for busy nights, camping trips and power outages
February 22, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
The Hunt for a New, Copyright-Free Happy Birthday Song
In the United States, "Happy Birthday to You"—one of the most popular songs in the world—is still under copyright. And it will be until 2030
February 21, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Can Chemistry Make Healthy Foods More Appealing?
Making healthy foods like tomatoes more palatable may increase our desire to eat these foods while decreasing our gravitation towards sugary snacks
February 20, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Robot Vanna, Trashy Presidents and Steak as Health Food: Samsung Sells Tomorrow
Advertisers love to use futurism as a way to position their products as forward-thinking
February 20, 2013 |
By Matt Novak
Vilcabamba: Paradise Going Bad?
Life in this legendary town in Ecuador's Valley of Longevity may be too good—and too long—to be true
February 20, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Events February 19-21: Native Voices, a Modern Silent Film and Trumpet Jazz
This week, watch films by American Indian youths, see Academy Award-winner "The Artist" and snap your fingers to some world-class jazz
February 19, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
No Salt, No Problem: One Woman’s Life-or-Death Quest to Make “Bland” Food Delicious
The more salt we eat, the more we crave. This new approach to less-salty cooking might help you step off the treadmill
February 19, 2013 |
By Twilight Greenaway
Water Never Goes Bad, So Why Does It Need a Expiration Date?
Really, you shouldn't be worried about the water, but about the bottle.
February 15, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
How Does McCormick Pick the Top Flavors of the Year?
Ten years ago, the spice company identified chipotle as a taste on the rise. They're back at it again with new predictions for 2013
February 15, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
When Cane Juice Meets Yeast: Brewing in Ecuador
The sugarcane trail takes the author across the Andes, into home liquor distilleries and from juice shack to juice shack as he pursues fermented sugarcane wine
February 14, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
Outrageous Taxidermy, the Subject of a New Show on AMC
Former Smithsonian taxidermist Paul Rhymer is a judge on "Immortalized," a TV competition that pits up-and-comers against superstars in the field
February 14, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
The Origins of Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Valentine's Day can be an occasion for quirky expressions of love
February 14, 2013 |
By Emily Spivack
