How aspirin was discovered - Krishna Sudhir
AdultsHistoryScience4000 years ago, the ancient Sumerians made a surprising discovery: if they scraped the bark off a particular kind of tree and ate it, their pain disappeared. Little did they know that what they'd found was destined to influence the future course of medicine. Krishna Sudhir traces the history of aspirin.
An Asteroid Didn't Kill the Dinosaurs, Here's a New Theory About What Did
AdultsAnimalsGlobal WarmingHistory...A new scientific model has discovered what actually happened to the earth after the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs.
A brief history of banned numbers - Alessandra King
AdultsHistoryMathCulture...They say the pen is mightier than the sword, and authorities have often agreed. From outlawed religious tracts and revolutionary manifestos to censored and burned books, we know the potential power of words to overturn the social order. But as strange as it may seem, some numbers have also been considered dangerous enough to ban. Alessandra King details the history behind illegal numbers.
How do executive orders work? - Christina Greer
AdultsEqualityHistorySociety...On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln legally changed the status of over 3 million people from "slave" to "free." But his emancipation proclamation wasn't a law - it was an executive order. The framers of the American Constitution made this power available to the executive branch. But what exactly is this tool, how does it work, and what's the extent of its power? Christina Greer explains.
The myth of Cupid and Psyche - Brendan Pelsue
AdultsHistoryRelationshipsReligion...Psyche was born so beautiful that she was worshipped as a new incarnation of Venus, the goddess of love. But human lovers were too intimidated to approach her, and Apollo recommended her father abandon her on a crag where she would marry "a cruel and savage, serpent-like winged evil." But Psyche's story ended up being much more interesting. Brendan Pelsue shares the myth of Cupid and Psyche.
How does the Nobel Peace Prize work? - Adeline Cuvelier and Toril Rokseth
AdultsHistorySocietyPoliticsAmong the top prestigious awards in the world, the Nobel Peace Prize has honored some of the most celebrated and revered international figures and organizations in history. But how does the nomination process work? And who exactly is eligible? Adeline Cuvelier and Toril Rokseth detail the specifics of the Nobel Peace Prize.
100 Years of Family Dinners ? Mode.com
AdultsCreativityFoodHistory...Foodie fans, this one's for you! Whether you lean toward 1915-style roast beef and franconia potatoes, or if 2015's kale craze suits your taste, this look at food over the past century will satiate your palate.
100 Years of Male Pop Stars | Vanity Fair
AdultsHistoryMasculinityMusic...How have music icons changed over the last century? We look at how the styles of male icons have evolved over the years, from Duke Ellington and Bing Crosby to Michael Jackson and Prince.
Why Socrates Hated Democracy
AdultsHistoryPoliticsPhilosophyWe're used to thinking hugely well of democracy. But interestingly, one of the wisest people who ever lived, Socrates, had deep suspicions of it.
The world's most mysterious book - Stephen Bax
AdultsBooksHistoryLanguageDeep inside Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library lies a 240 page tome. Recently carbon dated to around 1420, its pages feature looping handwriting and hand drawn images seemingly stolen from a dream. It is called the Voynich manuscript, and it's one of history's biggest unsolved mysteries. The reason why? No one can figure out what it says. Stephen Bax investigates this cryptic work.
Why people never smiled in old photos
AdultsHistoryPhotographyCultureEarly portraits looked pretty grim. A lot of old photos from the 19th and early 20th century are fraught with doom and gloom-and on the occasion the literal dead face. That led to the popular belief that people just did not smile in old photographs. The common explanation is due to the limited technology at the time to capture a smile. Exposure times were long and the thinking was it's easier to hold a serious expression over a long period. Another theory included early photography being heavily influenced by painting (which meant no smiling).
Vincent van Gogh's long, miserable road to fame
AdultsArtCreativityHistory...Van Gogh's travels informed the works we revere today.
LITERATURE - George Orwell
AdultsBooksCreativityHistoryGeorge Orwell is the most famous English language writer of the 20th century, the author of Animal Farm and 1984. What was he trying to tell us and what is his genius?
How ancient Romans made stronger concrete than today
AdultsCitiesConstructionHistory...Many structures built by ancient Romans around 2,000 years ago are still standing, and some are still in excellent condition. Over the last decade, researchers have come discover the Romans' secret concrete recipe that has maintained so many of its now-ancient buildings.