7 of the most interesting fictional drugs

From the cosmic blast into another being's mind, to rolling bliss or obedient mind-slavery, fictional drugs have it all.

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  • Fictional drugs are a major part of the lore and foundation for many science fiction stories.
  • The unique effects they have on their characters is an interesting new way to explore important issues.
  • Many of these fictional drugs are synonymous with the stories that have been told.
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The horror and mystery behind 'the Black Paintings'

Towards the end of his life, Francisco Goya began painting terrifying scenes directly onto the walls of his house.

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  • The Black Paintings stand out in art history for their dark composition and themes.
  • The biggest mystery, though, is that Goya painted them directly onto the walls of his home and never told anybody about them.
  • With such little information, all we can do is speculate about the 14 horrifying Black Paintings.
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What should we do with all of those empty churches?

Between 6,000-10,000 churches are left behind every year in America.

Interior view of an abandoned church in Italy. (Photo by: Arcaid/UIG via Getty Images)
  • With many churches only being operational for a few hours each week, thousands of churches are shutting down.
  • Church attendance is down nationwide, adding to the problem of what to do with so much real estate.
  • Inventive uses for abandoned churches include co-working spaces, Airbnbs, and bookstores.
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4 books on race in America everyone should read

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas shares the books that shaped his life.

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  • These books, from authors like Toni Morrison and John F. Kennedy, open up a whole new perspective on the American landscape.
  • Read Jose Antonio Vargas' groundbreaking essay on life as an undocumented migrant in The New York Times Magazine.
  • Jose shared his list of 4 books on race in America everyone should read at a recent ScribdChat in San Francisco
  • Vargas' memoir, Dear America, Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, is out now.
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Why American history lives between the cracks

The stories we tell define history. So who gets the mic in America?

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  • History is written by lions. But it's also recorded by lambs.
  • In order to understand American history, we need to look at the events of the past as more prismatic than the narrative given to us in high school textbooks.
  • Including different voices can paint a more full and vibrant portrait of America. Which is why more walks of American life can and should be storytellers.
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