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It turns out the story of the domesticated bunny is a lot fuzzier than the legends tell it.

The Odd, Tidy Story of Rabbit Domestication That Is Also Completely False

New study lends weight to the idea that domestication isn’t a point, but a process

Relics of St. Valentine of Terni at the basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin

The Gory Origins of Valentine’s Day

The holiday began as a feast to celebrate the decapitation of a third-century Christian martyr, or perhaps two. So how did it become all about love?

A decline in women authors and named characters has subtly shaped our understanding of literary history, says study author Ted Underwood.

Women Were Better Represented in Victorian Novels Than Modern Ones

Big data shows that women used to be omnipresent in fiction. Then men got in the way

Test tubes hold users' DNA samples, taken from cheek swabs.

The Dubious Science of Genetics-Based Dating

Is love really just a cheek swab away?

Cacao trees with chocolate fruit pods on Kauai, HI.

How Hawaii Became the North Pole of Cacao

These chocolate makers have set up shop in the only state—and the coldest place—that can sustain cacao plantations

The specially commissioned portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama make their formal museum debut.

The Obamas’ Official Portraits Break New Ground With Their Boldness

A picture-perfect reveal ceremony was by turns heartfelt and humorous

Spot co-founders hope that the current cultural reckoning with issues of harassment will spur employers to take these problems seriously.

This AI Bot Fights Workplace Harassment

A new app, Spot, uses AI to help harassment and discrimination victims create and file reports without having to talk to a human

The wife and daughters of Mark Twain

For Mark Twain, It Was Love At First Sight

The aspiring author knew Olivia Langdon was the one when he first laid eyes on a photograph of her

The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, Utah), Sunday, Apr 28, 1935

How the “Heart Balm Racket” Convinced America That Women Were Up to No Good

Being engaged carried some legal consequences until the news media got a hold of a sensational story

Residents queue to fill containers with water from a source of natural spring water in Cape Town, South Africa, Friday, Feb. 2, 2018.

What’s Behind Cape Town’s Water Woes?

As climate change intensifies droughts, the city’s crisis may signify a new normal

Souvenir Dolls, New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Best Places to Celebrate Mardi Gras Outside of New Orleans

The Big Easy might get all the fame, but places from Alabama to the south of France also know how to party before Lent

Both Kehinde Wiley and Obama said they were struck by parallels in their life stories. “Both of us had American mothers who raised us, with extraordinary love and support,” Obama said.

Artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald Capture the Unflinching Gaze of the President and First Lady

The nation’s first African-American presidency is marked by two prominent African-American portraitists

White-naped cranes flying above the DMZ.

How Korea’s Demilitarized Zone Became an Accidental Wildlife Paradise

Hundreds of rare animal species take shelter in the 155-mile no man’s land between North and South Korea

Bulgogi is a classic Korean dish of thinly sliced, marinated beef.

A Brief History of Bulgogi, Korea’s Most Delicious Export (Recipe)

And how you can get some of the tender, marinated beef stateside

A Kenyan farmer using the fertilizer in his fields.

How Climate Change is Fueling Innovation in Kenya

A new generation of start ups are working to help farmers in a region that faces myriad challenges

Winter Olympics

What Reddit Can Tell Us About the Afterlives of Banned Olympic Drugs

We analyzed 150,000 comments to find that the Internet is still openly discussing these mind-bending stimulants

Spiral chairs pay homage to both the museum and the helicoid shape of DNA.

Hirshhorn’s Redesigned Lobby Sheds New Light on a Classic Washington D.C. Building

The Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, known for his pensive images, is taking on the role of architect and designer

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Eight Instagrammers to Follow for an Insider’s View of the Olympic Games

From art and food to skis and skates, these Instagrammers give you a behind-the-scenes look at #Pyeongchang2018

Driftwood is a valuable resource for humans and all kinds of ecosystems near and far.

How Driftwood Reshapes Ecosystems

In one of nature’s remarkable second acts, dead trees embark on transformative journeys

Figure skater Adam Rippon will be one of two openly gay Americans competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics, a first for the U.S.

Winter Olympics

A Brief History of Openly Gay Olympians

Americans Adam Rippon and Gus Kenworthy are the latest LGBTQ athletes to go for the gold

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