Articles

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The Brief History of the ENIAC Computer

A look back at the room-size government computer that began the digital era

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Andrew Sullivan on What Sets the AIDS Quilt Apart From All Other Memorials

The Daily Dish recalls his first experience seeing the quilt

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John Deere Was a Real Person, His Invention Changed the Country

His plow turned the Midwestern mud into the nation’s breadbasket

Author Frank Deford writes in our 101 Objects Special Issue: Negro baseball leagues allowed African-Americans the chance to play the national pastime for pay (if not for much). The heyday of the Negro Leagues was the '30s, the cynosure of most seasons the East-West All-Star Game, which was usually played in Chicago at Comiskey Park, home of the White Sox. Indeed, in 1941, just before America entered the war, that fabled season when Ted Williams batted .406 and Joe DiMaggio hit safely in 56 straight games, the Negro League All-Star Game drew a crowd of more than 50,000 fans. Read more of Deford's essay.

A Long Toss Back to the Heyday of Negro League Baseball

Sportswriter Frank Deford looks back at the games that opened the national pastime to African-Americans

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It’s Time to Cut Barbie a Little Slack

Writer Sloane Crosley asks if the doll really represents such a menace to society

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Why No One Will Ever Replace Richard Petty as the King of NASCAR

There’s a good reason why his stock car is in the collections of the American History Museum

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The Spirit of St. Louis’ Amazing Journey

A daring flight shrank the world and created the first global celebrity

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How Much Do We Really Know About Pocahontas

Historian Tony Horwitz tries to separate the truth from the myths that have been built up about the Jamestown “princess”

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The Stark Reminders of the Birmingham Church Bombing

Upon the 60th anniversary of the tragic attack, these stained glass shards recall the day that saw four girls killed in Alabama

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Why the Oral Contraceptive Is Just Known as “The Pill”

A new birth control method gave women unprecedented power and revolutionized daily life

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Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on Why Judges Wear Black Robes

The Supreme Court icon breaks down the tradition

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Power Tools

10 Gadgets Halsey Burgund Can’t Live Without

From the software he uses to compose to the podcasts that inspire him, these tools help the Boston-based sound artist make music from everyday noises

PicoBrew Zymatic

Can Brewing Beer Be as Simple as Brewing Coffee?

Inventor Bill Mitchell is developing the PicoBrew Zymatic, an appliance that brews beer at the touch of a button

First edition copies of “the world’s weirdest book”

A 360-Page Book That No One’s Ever Been Able to Read Is Coming Back Into Print

Original editions of the Codex sell for up to $2,000, but a new reprint is available for $125

Stop That Foot Massage! Feet Are Not an Erogenous Zone

If you've been begrudgingly giving foot massages, you might want to check with your partner to see if they actually like them

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Watch “Vintage” Signs Get Made in This Portland Shop

From painting to stenciling to distressing, watch a sign come to life in this little video from the shop

Is It Immoral To Kill a Zombie?

Perhaps it's time to add ethics to your zombie preparedness training

Pumpkins

Who Steals Pumpkins From Kindergarteners?

Across the country, pumpkins have been stolen from their owners

Damming and dredging a California river for gold

The Gold Rush Left Behind Mercury That’s Still Contaminating California

Leftover mercury will continue to flush through the environment, eventually making its way into the San Francisco bay, for the next 10,000 years

Have you carved your pumpkin yet?

The Patents Designed to Make Carving Your Pumpkin a Little Less Messy

A group of innovators set out to simplify how we make classic Jack-o-Lanterns and their ghoulish grins

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