How Do We Know What Human Organs Do?
Apparently humans have a new internal organ. How can this be, and what does this "new organ" do?
Changing the Way We Die
Dying may seem like a straightforward business, but there are almost as many ways to approach the end of life as there are to approach life itself.
The History of the KKK in American Politics
In the 1920s, during what historians call the KKK's “second wave,” Klan members served in all levels of American government.
“Inner City” Myths and Realities
The history behind why urban black neighborhoods face much higher rates of poverty, crime, and overburdened schools than white suburban areas do.
How Trump’s Twitter Presidency Hijacked Hopes For E-Democracy
The first live-tweeting presidency resembles the broadcast-era version of democracy more than the kind of democracy the internet was supposed to enable.
Millennia of Mosaics
The mosaics in New York City's new 2nd Avenue subway stations follow a tradition thousands of years old.
Suggested Readings: Crowd Numbers, Baby Jokes, Magic Blood
Extra Credit: Our pick of stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.
How Mr. Coffee Made Coffee Manly
Mr. Coffee, the first electric-drip coffee machine for home use, debuted in 1972, forever changing the way Americans made coffee.
The Many Unexpected Jobs of the Clubmoss Spore
The first working internal combustion machine debuted in 1807, powered by lycopodium powder, which is made of explosive plant spores.
How Political Events Change Currency Value
What causes shifts in currency after a political event is, essentially, human expectations.