Humanities
Critical analysis and thought in the fields of history, law and philosophy
The Rise and Fall of Nikola Tesla and his Tower
The inventor's vision of a global wireless-transmission tower proved to be his undoing
February 04, 2013 |
By Gilbert King
Don’t Get Duped: Six Foods That Might Not Be The Real Deal
Colored sawdust instead of saffron? Corn syrup instead of honey? It's all in the newly updated USP Food Fraud Database
February 04, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
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
A Brief History of the Buffalo Chicken Wing
How the wing went from a throwaway to a delicacy in 50 years
February 01, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
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
Air Pollution Has Been a Problem Since the Days of Ancient Rome
By testing ice cores in Greenland, scientists can look back at environmental data from millennia past
February 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories
How does following the adventures of Spider-Man and Batman inspire us to cope with adversity?
February 2013 |
By Robin Rosenberg
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
Much Ado About Nothing at the Equator
Just north of Quito stands a grand and glowing tribute to one of Ecuador’s proudest features: the Equator. The problem is, it was built in the wrong place
January 30, 2013 |
By Alastair Bland
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
This Gun Shoots Criminals With DNA
This new gun shoots the bad guys with artificial DNA, that can then be traced back and identified
January 29, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Falernum: The Elusive Cocktail Syrup to Name Drop At Your Next Party
This tiki-era mixer, best served with rum, has a hazy past and an island-y bite
January 29, 2013 |
By K. Annabelle Smith
For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II
In 1978, Soviet geologists prospecting in the wilds of Siberia discovered a family of six, lost in the taiga
January 28, 2013 |
By Mike Dash
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
