history

Housewives Before WW2: Women On The Cusp Of Transformation

We’ve written before on the ways war has inspired countless technical innovations that we take for granted every day, but haven’t focused too much on the ways it has transformed the home and its accompanying gender roles. In this arena, one surprising “accomplishment” of World War II was the way...

By Erin Kelly • Jun 3, 2015

Housewives Before WW2: Women On The Cusp Of Transformation

We’ve written before on the ways war has inspired countless technical innovations that we take for granted every day, but haven’t focused too much on the ways it has transformed the home and its accompanying gender roles. In this arena, one surprising “accomplishment” of World War II was the way...

By Erin Kelly • June 3, 2015

When Crack Was King: 1980s New York In Photos

Before Carrie Bradshaw and Hannah Horvath, New York was host to the 1980s. And trust us, it wasn't all that pretty.

By Savannah Cox • Jun 1, 2015

When Crack Was King: 1980s New York In Photos

Before Carrie Bradshaw and Hannah Horvath, New York was host to the 1980s. And trust us, it wasn't all that pretty.

By Savannah Cox • June 1, 2015

17 Things You Didn’t Know About Walt Whitman

Today marks 196 years since Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, New York. While the American poet, essayist and journalist was considered radical for his opinions on many topics—labor issues, immigration, sexuality and capital punishment, among others—during his life, he’s now revered as one of the country’s most influential...

By Kiri Picone • May 31, 2015

17 Things You Didn’t Know About Walt Whitman

Today marks 196 years since Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, New York. While the American poet, essayist and journalist was considered radical for his opinions on many topics—labor issues, immigration, sexuality and capital punishment, among others—during his life, he’s now revered as one of the country’s most influential...

By Kiri Picone • May 31, 2015

3 Historic “Firsts” That We’ve All Got Totally Wrong

A tragic flaw of most elementary history lessons is that we focus on teaching trivia. As it turns out, most of these "facts" are totally wrong.

By Richard Stockton • May 31, 2015

3 Historic “Firsts” That We’ve All Got Totally Wrong

A tragic flaw of most elementary history lessons is that we focus on teaching trivia. As it turns out, most of these "facts" are totally wrong.

By Richard Stockton • May 31, 2015

Etheldreda Laing’s Autochrome Garden Of Eden

At the turn of the century, Etheldreda Laing used her seasoned artistic eye and emerging technology to create timeless scenes of innocence and grace.

By Erin Kelly • May 30, 2015

Etheldreda Laing’s Autochrome Garden Of Eden

At the turn of the century, Etheldreda Laing used her seasoned artistic eye and emerging technology to create timeless scenes of innocence and grace.

By Erin Kelly • May 30, 2015

Appreciate Your Bikini: A Brief History Of Women’s Swimwear

Be it bathing machines, the swimsuit police or the full-on dresses that Victorians wore to the beach, the history of women's swimwear will blow your mind.

By Kiri Picone • May 30, 2015

Appreciate Your Bikini: A Brief History Of Women’s Swimwear

Be it bathing machines, the swimsuit police or the full-on dresses that Victorians wore to the beach, the history of women's swimwear will blow your mind.

By Kiri Picone • May 30, 2015

What We Love This Week, Volume CXXIV

Arresting Masks From Around The World Come Halloween, masks are products of commerce and pop culture, used for both horror and humor. But apart from Halloween–and especially in many countries beyond our borders–masks remain rooted in tradition and folkways, used for both celebration and protest. In Burundi, a mask made...

By John Kuroski • May 29, 2015

What We Love This Week, Volume CXXIV

Arresting Masks From Around The World Come Halloween, masks are products of commerce and pop culture, used for both horror and humor. But apart from Halloween–and especially in many countries beyond our borders–masks remain rooted in tradition and folkways, used for both celebration and protest. In Burundi, a mask made...

By John Kuroski • May 29, 2015

10 Awful Jobs You’ll Be Glad No Longer Exist

And you thought working as a temp was bad — at least you don't have to provide emotional support to royalty when nature calls.

By Bernadette Deron • May 28, 2015

10 Awful Jobs You’ll Be Glad No Longer Exist

And you thought working as a temp was bad — at least you don't have to provide emotional support to royalty when nature calls.

By Bernadette Deron • May 28, 2015

1928 England Lives On In Timeless Autochrome Photos

At the behest of National Geographic, Clifton R. Adams spent the late 1920s and early 1930s in England, where he photographed the country’s farms, towns, and the people who composed them. Using an emerging process known as Autochrome, Adams’ color images were stunning for the time, and remain beautiful examples...

By Erin Kelly • May 25, 2015

1928 England Lives On In Timeless Autochrome Photos

At the behest of National Geographic, Clifton R. Adams spent the late 1920s and early 1930s in England, where he photographed the country’s farms, towns, and the people who composed them. Using an emerging process known as Autochrome, Adams’ color images were stunning for the time, and remain beautiful examples...

By Erin Kelly • May 25, 2015

5 Accidental Discoveries That Changed The World

In many ways, modernity can be viewed as little more than the the product of centuries of dumb luck. As you are about to see, some of the world’s most significant milestones were the result of nothing more than happy accidents. Accidental Discoveries: Penicillin Scottish biologist Alexander Fleming changed modern...

By Savannah Cox • May 25, 2015

5 Accidental Discoveries That Changed The World

In many ways, modernity can be viewed as little more than the the product of centuries of dumb luck. As you are about to see, some of the world’s most significant milestones were the result of nothing more than happy accidents. Accidental Discoveries: Penicillin Scottish biologist Alexander Fleming changed modern...

By Savannah Cox • May 25, 2015