Susan L. Perkins and Rob DeSalle— Though it might sound very unappetizing, many animals eat their own feces (or poop). For example, rabbits do it to help them to break down grasses, which are difficut to digest. Unlike cows and their relatives that chew a regurgitated “cud” of grass, rabbits
Bernd Brunner— Did candles on the Christmas tree start the blaze that destroyed the Castle Warthausen in Upper Swabia in 1621? Probably not, for many indications suggest that decorating trees with candles did not become widespread until the following century. Did Martin Luther, enchanted by the stars in the sky
Rebecca Lemov— Big Data is a topic that is big news, yet it is often raised in academic circles with trepidation. Here are some reasons why our understanding of big data, even as a fashion, can benefit from historical thinking. Big Data is a new(er) concept. The phrase “big data”
Gavin Weightman— What have an old compass and a primitive battery got to do with the invention of the mobile phone? It’s a long story spanning more than two centuries and involves a cast of characters whose ingenuity and inquisitiveness first revealed, and then exploited, hidden forces that could be
Robert M. Utley— Billy the Kid and Ned Kelly lived and died at roughly the same age and roughly the same time, the middle of the nineteenth century. Though they never actually met, imagine, if possible, a meeting between the two outlaws. Granted, they lived and died half a world
Paul A. Rahe— The study of ancient Greek history in modern times has always been Athenocentric. It could hardly have been otherwise. Much of what was written about Hellas in antiquity was composed by Athenians, and much of the rest was composed principally with the Athenian audience in mind. In
Honor Sachs— In the early 1850s, artist George Caleb Bingham painted a now-iconic image of Daniel Boone leading a party of white families through the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky. In Bingham’s portrait, Boone is saturated with light, his face resolute and determined. He illuminates the passage through darkness like a
Gabriel Gorodetsky— Serendipity often lies at the heart of scholarly discoveries. Some fifteen years ago I launched a research project which culminated in the joint official publication of documents on Israeli-Soviet relations. It is hard to describe my excitement when, while seeking information concerning the involvement of Ivan Maisky, the
Want to know more about American history but just don’t have the time? Here’s the history of the United States of America in under three minutes. Check out the video and then check out the book, A Little History of the United States by James West Davidson.
Pop the cork on your favorite bottle of wine, kick back, and enjoy a timeline of wine from 60 million years ago to today. Further Reading: