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music

The Most Beautiful Part of a Taiko Drum is Hidden Inside It

The hand-carved drums have intricate patterns concealed within.
Lauren Young June 16, 2016
A kingly feast, from the Bayeux Tapestry.
medieval

I Tried a Medieval Diet, and I Didn't Even Get That Drunk

The Regimen Sanitatus Salernum was the Middle Ages' most famous health manual. How does it hold up?
Sarah Laskow June 16, 2016
churches

The 'Mystery Plays' Banned by the Tudors Are Now Showing in an English Cathedral

God and Lucifer, co-starring again at last!
Alexander J. Zawacki June 15, 2016
space exploration

How Should Humans Divvy Up Mars?

No one can claim sovereignty of Mars, but there are ideas about how best to use the land.
Sarah Laskow June 15, 2016
features

Wedding Night Games Are Awkward All Around the World

When friends and family try to help with marital intimacy, things get weird.
Urvija Banerji and Eric Grundhauser June 14, 2016
Or you could always get your wife a dead chicken.
shops

Happy 48th Anniversary, Here's A Microscope!

How tradition, jewel lobbies, and fed-up librarians joined forces to tell us what to buy our spouses.
Cara Giaimo June 14, 2016
features

Russia’s Centuries-Old Bride-Shows Were the Original Version of ‘The Bachelor'

Tsars need love, too.
Hadley Meares June 14, 2016
Members of World War II's 33nd Fighter Group attend a briefing in Ramitelli, Italy.
medicine

In the Early 1940s, the Red Cross Banned Black Blood Donors

Sometimes, the politics of who can give blood has less to do with medical limitations than cultural ones.
Cara Giaimo June 14, 2016
gems and jewels

Can Science Ever Make A Real Diamond?

The battle to define what constitutes the world's most famous gemstone.
Alina Simone June 14, 2016
food

Biryani is Better Than Americans Know

The authentic version is South Asia’s best kept secret.
Urvija Banerji June 13, 2016
drugs

Meet the Hallucinogenic Fish That Can Give You LSD-Esque Nightmares

It gives new meaning to a "fishing trip."
David Doochin June 10, 2016
literature

How a 1918 Author Introduced the World to the Concept of Female Pleasure

Married Love by Marie Stopes was revolutionary in its frank depiction of sexuality.
Tao Tao Holmes June 10, 2016
Why not just go?
airplanes

How Glitch Fare Hunters Turn Airlines' Tricks Against Them

Though still not for the faint of heart, ultra-cheap error fares are no longer just a niche obsession.
Cara Giaimo June 10, 2016
science

How Chewing Gave Humans Flat Faces, Little Teeth and Wimpy Jaws

It doesn't seem like juice diets and Soylent are going to improve matters.
Lauren Young June 10, 2016
hotels

How a Hotel in Chicago Convinced Drivers They Needed Parking Garages

In the 1910s, city stables were replaced by a hot new amenity.
Sarah Laskow June 10, 2016
sports

What It's Like to Run a Fan Site For the Arguably Worst Team in NBA History

The Philadelphia 76ers have brought shame to the City of Brotherly Love.
Dan Nosowitz June 9, 2016
stamps

Want to Make America More Inclusive? Start With Stamps

A group of black philatelists is making stamp collecting less stuffy.
Sophie Weiner June 9, 2016
national parks

You Can Become a U.S. Citizen at Mount Rushmore or Yosemite

To understand the naturalization process, our reporter attended three ceremonies—one at Ellis Island.
Tao Tao Holmes June 8, 2016