Archaeologist Eric Cline has spent his career forensically reconstructing why the Bronze Age collapsed, and the answer is far stranger and more unsettling than a single catastrophic event.

Today, nostalgia is somewhat kitsch. Back then, it was something to be feared.

In this excerpt from "The First Eight," Congressman Jim Clyburn shares the story of Robert Smalls, the man whose audience with Lincoln may have saved the Union army.

Fibonacci’s "Liber Abaci" not only revolutionized commerce — it also helped nudge the world towards reasoned, quantitative enquiry.

When Jesus was crucified, it led to even more followers. When books are banned, people flock to read them. Humans are fascinated by the forbidden, which is why censorship – especially in the digital age – doesn’t work. Jacob Mchangama explains.

In this excerpt from "Tales of Militant Chemistry," Alice Lovejoy exposes how the need for uranium during WWII led the Allied governments to turn a blind eye to colonial exploitation.

In the Embers series, historian M.G. Sheftall shares the stories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s last survivors and reveals why their testimony must endure.

Historians Alexandra Churchill and Nicolai Eberholst reexamine the pivotal conflict from a grassroots perspective.

Before becoming America’s most infamous assassin, John Wilkes Booth was a magnetic actor who was beloved by audiences and courted by critics.

In "Dinner with King Tut," Sam Kean examines how a burgeoning field is recreating ancient tasks to uncover historical truths.

This is my country and this is what we stand for. At least for now.

The cofounders of think tank RethinkX are convinced that humanity is undergoing civilizational phase change.

"The stars made our minds, and now our minds look back."

Experts and Big Think writers recommend their favorite reads for diving deeper into the history and perspectives found in the Book of Books.

Follow the money and you'll follow history.

From acclaimed novels to heretical treatises, sometimes a writer just doesn't want to put their name on the cover.

Plato's cave metaphor illustrates the cognitive trap of ignorance, where we may be unaware of the limitations of our understanding.

All religions have three traits: metaphysical commitments, ethical guidance, and daily rituals or practices. So does Stoicism.

Many beloved fantasy adventures take place in worlds that bear a striking resemblance to our own.

The hidden story behind Greek surnames and how they trace family origins across the country — starting with the name of a would-be U.S. president.

Oliver Burkeman — author of "Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals" — tells Big Think about modern life lessons from a 6th-century monk.

"The Big Map of Who Lived When" plots the lifespans of historical figures — from Eminem all the way back to Genghis Khan.

In popular culture, the eruption is usually depicted as an apocalyptic event.

19 rooms. 1,636 square feet. 1,800 years of history.

In ancient Sparta, it was accepted practice for more women to marry and have children by more than one man.

“Chicago May” was a classic swindler who conned her way around the world in the early twentieth century. She was also a sign of hard times.

In 1924, Edwin Hubble found proof that the Milky Way isn't the only galaxy in the Universe.

Napoleon Bonaparte was a man of many faces. European historian Michael Broers explains which are featured on the silver screen and why.

How to say, "In many ways, Proust is similar to Joyce" and get away with it.

A sober look at a wild conspiracy theory that argues the Middle Ages never happened.