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History

On February 15, 1958, Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, producer Mike Todd, board his private plane named "The Liz," which crashed a month later killing Todd and two others.

10 Lucky Celebrities Who Escaped Disaster

Most of the time it’s the disasters that are famous—but sometimes, famous people escape disasters instead

Main waiting room, Pennsylvania Station, New York, NY, circa 1910

How Nostalgia Plays Into Our Love of Buildings Old and New

Never-before-seen photos reveal that Penn Station wasn’t as pristine as we remember when it was torn down

Comrades now, veterans in gray and blue shake hands at the 1913 Gettysburg reunion, much of the old animosity healed after a half century of peace.

The Last Civil War Veterans Who Lived to Be Over 100… Or Did They?

As America prepared to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Civil War, two centenarians told their tales — only one was telling the truth

A portrait of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot and her granddaughter

The Widow Who Created the Champagne Industry

Love champagne? Thank a French widow

Biochar

Energy Innovation

Carbon-Negative Energy Is Here! This Device Makes Clean Energy and Fertilizer

A Berkeley startup’s new spin on an old fuel-producing technology is a win-win for the environment

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Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on Why Judges Wear Black Robes

The Supreme Court icon breaks down the tradition

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Why the Oral Contraceptive Is Just Known as “The Pill”

A new birth control method gave women unprecedented power and revolutionized daily life

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The Stark Reminders of the Birmingham Church Bombing

Upon the 60th anniversary of the tragic attack, these stained glass shards recall the day that saw four girls killed in Alabama

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The Science Behind Why Pandas Are So Damn Cute

There’s a reason why millions adore these furry exemplars of China’s “soft power”

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How Much Do We Really Know About Pocahontas

Historian Tony Horwitz tries to separate the truth from the myths that have been built up about the Jamestown “princess”

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The Spirit of St. Louis’ Amazing Journey

A daring flight shrank the world and created the first global celebrity

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Why No One Will Ever Replace Richard Petty as the King of NASCAR

There’s a good reason why his stock car is in the collections of the American History Museum

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It’s Time to Cut Barbie a Little Slack

Writer Sloane Crosley asks if the doll really represents such a menace to society

Author Frank Deford writes in our 101 Objects Special Issue: Negro baseball leagues allowed African-Americans the chance to play the national pastime for pay (if not for much). The heyday of the Negro Leagues was the '30s, the cynosure of most seasons the East-West All-Star Game, which was usually played in Chicago at Comiskey Park, home of the White Sox. Indeed, in 1941, just before America entered the war, that fabled season when Ted Williams batted .406 and Joe DiMaggio hit safely in 56 straight games, the Negro League All-Star Game drew a crowd of more than 50,000 fans. Read more of Deford's essay.

A Long Toss Back to the Heyday of Negro League Baseball

Sportswriter Frank Deford looks back at the games that opened the national pastime to African-Americans

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John Deere Was a Real Person, His Invention Changed the Country

His plow turned the Midwestern mud into the nation’s breadbasket

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Andrew Sullivan on What Sets the AIDS Quilt Apart From All Other Memorials

The Daily Dish recalls his first experience seeing the quilt

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A Stark Reminder of How the U.S. Forced American Indians Into a New Way of Life

This ration ticket couldn’t come close to replacing the traditions of the Plains tribes

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The Brief History of the ENIAC Computer

A look back at the room-size government computer that began the digital era

Author Martha Stewart writes in our 101 Objects Special Issue: Isaac Merritt Singer's sewing machine was a vast improvement upon earlier versions, capable of 900 stitches a minute -at a time when the most nimble seamstress could sew about 40. Though the machine was originally designed for manufacturing, Singer saw its domestic potential and created a lighter weight version, which he hauled to country fairs, circuses and social gatherings, dazzling the womenfolk. Read more of Martha Stewart's essay.

Martha Stewart on How the Singer Sewing Machine Clothed the Nation

The master of home entertaining takes a look at one of the most game-changing inventions of the 19th century

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The Clovis Point and the Discovery of America’s First Culture

Beautifully crafted blades point to the continent’s earliest communities

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