History & Society

History & Society

Trace how culture, power, and ideas shape societies across time.

isaac newton
From physics and alchemy to theology and eschatology, Isaac Newton’s research was rooted in a personal pursuit of the Divine.
history of math
Math offers good evidence that humans can solve any problem — as long as there’s money in it.
earth's mantle
We know more about the universe than what is beneath our feet. But Earth's mantle holds subtle clues about our planet's past.
gender equality paradox
Iceland consistently ranks as the most gender-equal nation. It is also the nation where men and women are most likely to pursue sex-typical jobs.
Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad lasted over two years and claimed nearly a million lives. It also inspired writers to record the bleak conditions in which they lived.
Adolf Hitler
Behind the scenes, Hitler had at least three disastrous relationships, including a short-lived marriage.
m81 group
Just 12 million light-years away, the galaxies Messier 81 and 82 offer a nearby preview of the Milky Way-Andromeda merger.
Omo Kibish
Dating of volcanic ash suggests the remains are at least 230,000 years old.
chess computers
What was once an art form has been drained of color and personality by ruthless algorithms. Can we make chess human again?
French Revolution
Despite losing most of his extended family to the guillotine, Tocqueville grew up to become a fervent supporter of democratic revolution.
Kiev Motherland Monument
Since Ukraine originally meant “borderland,” the territory was already a target for several kingdoms.
syphilis
The most feared sexually transmitted disease (STD) of the last half-millennium was usually named after foreigners, often the French.
eastern philosophy
Non-Western thought is vast and ancient, so why don't some consider it philosophy?
alien abductions
From succubi to aliens, stories of abductions or other unsettling encounters have been with us for millennia. What explains them?
California condor
Once numbering just 27 birds, the global population of California condors is now in the hundreds.
big bang
There are an estimated two trillion galaxies within the observable Universe. Most are already unreachable, and the situation only gets worse.