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In 1934, American Communists translated a Stalinist book about revolution into a children’s game. Curiously, it didn't catch on.

These landscapes — of geographical differences in head shapes — have vanished from acceptable science (and cartography).

Is mathematics woven into the very fabric of reality? Or is it merely a product of the human mind?

Mary Toft staged an elaborate hoax, but the pain was real.

Before anesthetics, some patients would die of the pain on the operating table.

Democratic freedom, rapturous religion, and newspapers created a hotbed for social experimentation in 19th-century America.

These hard-to-finish books are still worth the effort.

The most celebrated genius in human history didn't just revolutionize physics, but taught many valuable lessons about living a better life.

Opponents of 19th-century American imperialism were not above body-shaming the personification of the U.S. government.

For a long time, important events could only be visualized retroactively through paintings. Photography allowed us to capture history as — or sometimes even before — it happened. 

The "overview effect," experienced by astronauts when they view the Earth from outer space, irrevocably changes your perspective as a human.

Spirituality can be an uncomfortable word for atheists. But does it deserve the antagonism that it gets?

Map shows oldest buildings for each U.S. state – but also hints at what's missing.

What do communist dictators Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong have in common with U.S. Presidents like John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan? Hint: It’s the same thing they have in […]

Can passenger airships make a triumphantly 'green' comeback?

When I was a teenager and music was still on cassettes, a mixtape was an act of love. In this episode, I'm putting together some of my favorite moments of 2019, strung together with minimal interruption from me.

Antisocial is a deep dive into the extremist views.

There are reasons you look the way you do.

Now is a good time to brush up on who's on the ballot.

The Glen McLaughlin Collection brings together more than 700 historical examples of 'California as an island'.

When it comes to flirting, love meters have nothing on these researchers' findings.

Senator John Sidney McCain III, who died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018 at the age of 81, is lying in state in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol.

Sibling rivalries can lead to some impressive moments in history, how did these seven sets of siblings do?

These are the occupations that attract the most serial killers and psychopaths.

Stanford researchers identify five different types of anxiety, each correlating with the activation of different brain networks.

These ten characters have all had a huge influence on psychology. Their stories continue to intrigue those interested in personality and identity, nature and nurture, and the links between mind and body.

Homeopathic manufacturers take advantage of sick and vulnerable populations in criminal ways—and the FDA is, after much absence, starting to crack down.

The world today is far more complex than it was 200 years ago, but the speeches and writings of the Founding Fathers point to a common general principle.

The possibilities were almost limitless, so why does everything line up? Our Solar System is an orderly place, with the four inner planets, the asteroid belt, and the gas giant worlds […]

This list of 10 non-winners is 50% women, but 100% outrageous. In science, advances often come in great leaps. In hindsight, it’s easy to identify perhaps hundreds of small steps […]