Bernd Brunner— History often rewards great breakthroughs but ignores the preparatory steps that made those achievements possible. The Apollo program, for instance, has been documented in great detail and still receives ample attention, but what of the extraordinary labors that led to that summit? How was flight to the moon
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
Follow @yaleSCIbooks Bernd Brunner discusses the motivations behind his recent book Bears: A Brief History. Humans and bears— two species that exhibit both peaceful and violent behaviors—have shared a lengthy history. And the bear has become a central figure in our collective consciousness: many children sleep with teddy bears while
Once a year, thousands of families chop down a living tree, bring it inside their homes, and decorate it with lights, tinsel, and ornaments. This is considered perfectly normal, despite objective reasoning to the contrary. Especially at Christmas time, tradition is king. And perhaps no tradition is more powerful than