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Articles

An Italian marble sculpture of William Pitt the Younger as the Infant Hercules Strangling the Serpents Fox and North by Pieratoni (called ’Sposino’), c.1790

The Ugliest Sculpture Ever, Says the Portrait Gallery’s Director

A bizarre sculpture of a baby Hercules strangling two snakes set this art historian on a course of discovery

This urn-shaped finial sat atop the courthouse roof until the cupola collapsed during the fire.

Five Places Where You Can Still See Remnants of the Great Chicago Fire

Though the city was completely rebuilt within two years, you can still see evidence of the fire that destroyed it

Ice skates signed and worn by Sonja Henie, the Norwegian figure skater who was instrumental in popularizing the sport. Her impressive array of spins and jumps won her three Olympic gold medals.

The First Ice Skates Weren’t for Jumps and Twirls—They Were for Getting Around

Carved from animal shin bones, these early blades served as essential winter transport

The fruit that bursts with contradictions.

The Toxic Rise of the California Strawberry

Growing this popular fruit year-round has long relied on harmful chemicals. Is there another way?

A flag with Korean peninsula unification symbol at the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Winter Olympics

Is Reunification Possible for North and South Korea?

North Korea has taken up the South’s invitation to the Olympics, but a quick look at the history suggests that unity is not as close as it may seem

Why Winter Is the Perfect Time to Visit Bavaria

This corner of Germany is the ultimate cold-weather playground, a place where sledding down a mountain, or knocking back beers are equally worthy pursuits

The USS Pueblo, a Navy intelligence-gathering ship, was patrolling international waters in January 1968 when it was captured by North Korean vessels.

History of Now

Fifty Years Ago, North Korea Captured an American Ship and Nearly Started a Nuclear War

The provocative incident involving the USS Pueblo was peacefully resolved, in part because of the ongoing Vietnam War

The “Dodge City Peace Commission,” June, 1883. Wyatt Earp is seated, second from left.

How Dodge City Became a Symbol of Frontier Lawlessness

Fake news and smoking guns gave the Kansas town its reputation as the ultimate Wild West

A Counterintuitive Idea for Treating Severe Depression: Stay Awake

Doctors are finding that sleep deprivation actually helps lift some people out of depression. Now they want to know why

Could a secret ingredient make crumbling concrete a thing of the past?

With Fungi in the Mix, Concrete Can Fill Its Own Cracks

Adding fungus might be one way to endow concrete with the ability to repair any damage, without the need for human intervention

A North American F-100D Super Sabre drops a napalm bomb near Bien Hoa, South Vietnam, 1967.

This Fighter Jet Turned the Tide During Vietnam’s Decisive Tet Offensive

More than five decades ago, America won this huge battle, but lost the war

Why Americans Are Suddenly Flocking to This Gorgeous Caribbean Island

Long ignored by U.S. travelers, this French island is finally enjoying its moment in the sun

Likenesses of American Indians have been used to sell everything from cigars to station wagons.

Probing the Paradoxes of Native Americans in Pop Culture

A new exhibition picks apart the cultural mythologies surrounding the first “Americans”

Envelope for stationary packet, "Torch of Love," George W. Fisher Bookseller and Stationer, Rochester, New York.

How the Civil War Taught Americans the Art of Letter Writing

Soldiers and their families, sometimes barely literate, wrote to assuage fear and convey love

Approximately 80 percent of all pharmaceuticals used by Americans are produced overseas.

The Next Pandemic

A Saline Shortage This Flu Season Exposes a Flaw in Our Medical Supply Chain

Most IV saline bags used in U.S. hospitals are made in Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria has shown how troubling it can be to rely on one producer

At just 18 months old, young children can show biological evidence of added stress.

New Research

How a Mother’s Depression Shows Up in Her Baby’s DNA

Researchers find that at just 18 months, infants can have cellular damage related to stress

Have Scientists Found a Greener Way to Make Blue Jeans?

An engineered strain of E. coli bacteria can produce a precursor to synthetic indigo using fewer nasty chemicals than traditional methods

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