“Scholars on a quixotic quest to identify Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA achieve a milestone.”
History
Posted inNonfiction
Anatomy of Absolute Power
The people of Wilcox County, Alabama, remember a longtime sheriff as a god or a monster—it just depends on who you ask.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Filthy Matters
“Calvin Gimpelevich writes on the history and politics of public bathrooms.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
‘I Awoke at ½ Past 7’
“Our cursed age of self-monitoring and optimisation didn’t start with big tech: as so often, the Victorians are to blame.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Rhythms of “Rock Creek Park”
“The Blackbyrds’ ode to DC inspired a new generation of artists.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
How to Make Art Out of Confederate Monuments
“A new show featuring decommissioned statues forces a reckoning with American history at a moment when Donald Trump is trying to stop just that.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
We Salted Nannie: A Real-Life Southern Ghost Story
“Nannie, and the land around her, was thoroughly haunted. In less than a year we would break the lease, perform a binding ritual, and leave.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
My First Months in Cyberspace
“The earlier internet was a haven, everyone making it up as they went along.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
It’s Dead Around Here
“A ghost town enthusiast searches for the essence of these scarcely populated locales.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Don’t Touch That Dial!
“As automakers lobby to yank AM radio from new models, broadcasters argue that the trusty 105-year-old medium is an irreplaceable lifeline for millions of Americans. But is anybody listening?”