American History

How Typhoid Mary Stayed Healthy

Researchers think a potential therapy could be developed that blocks the bacteria's ability to divide and produce symptomatic typhoid

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These Carvings Are the Oldest Rock Art in America, by Thousands of Years

Native Americans created the carvings, which depict nature and geometrical motifs, though researchers still puzzle over their exact purpose and meaning

Ten Years Ago, 50 Million People Lost Power

Ten years later people are remembering, energy companies are trying to get better, but the grid is the same

America Bet 500 Million Tiny Copper Space Wires Would Help Beat the Soviets

During the Cold War, filling space with tiny copper bits didn't seem like such a bad idea

An ornamental copy of the Declaration of Independence

America’s Founders Were Scarily Young on July 4, 1776

How old were famous Revolutionary War figures on July 4, 1776?

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The Only Copy of Orson Welles’ First Professional Film Didn’t Burn in a Fire After All

The only copy of the Citizen Kane director's first professional movie was found in a warehouse

The panel at Food in the Garden’s August 1 event prepares to delve into the issues surrounding community garden and food education.

Can Gardening Change the World?

The American History Museum celebrates our country's lush food history—and explores its food future—with the Food in the Garden series

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Take a Tour Through the Computer Museum of 1983

In 1979, the MIT Computer Museum was founded, and in 1983 the television show Computer Chronicles TV went to visit

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Sail-Powered Ships Are Making a Comeback

New pressures have engineers turning to old ideas, and Rolls-Royce is working on a sailing ship

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What Queen Elizabeth II Would Have Said If Nuclear War Started in the 1980s

Undelivered speeches give a glimpse into alternate realities that never came to pass

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Today’s Google Doodle Celebrates Maria Mitchell, America’s First Female Professional Astronomer

Today would have been Maria Mitchell's 195th birthday, and if she were still around she'd probably celebrate it by looking at the stars

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People Had To Be Convinced of the Usefulness of Electricity

When electricity came around, it wasn't immediately seen as a necessity

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No, You’re Probably Not Smarter Than a 1912-Era 8th Grader

How well can you do on this 101-year old quiz for Bullitt County, Kentucky, eighth graders?

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Redskins Hall of Famers Say Team Name is Probably Offensive, But Shouldn’t Change

Many Native Americans have called for the team to change their name out of respect for their culture and history

The mushroom cloud produced by the “Fat Man” bomb from the bombing of Nagasaki, Japan.

Here’s What Nagasaki Would Have Looked Like If the Tsar Bomba Had Replaced ‘Fat Man’

A Google Earth add-on helps you understand the strength of the world's nuclear arsenal

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The Ten Most Controversial Articles on Wikipedia Might Surprise You

One researcher has quantified the most controversial Wikipedia entires of all time in ten different languages

Thomas, taking notes on Gerald Ford.

Helen Thomas, Trailblazing Female Journalist, Dies at 92

Many credit Thomas with breaking the glass ceiling for women in journalism

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Take a Ride on the New York Subway Circa 1905

Pioneering cinematographer Gottfried Wilhelm “Billy” Bitzer shot this silent film about a year after the subway's first line opened.

How Other Cities Avoided Detroit’s Fate

Many places manage to avoid actually filing for bankruptcy, despite being in dire straits

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This Town Has Spent 11 Years Planning a 60 Foot Lava Lamp

Everybody loves lava lamps. But perhaps nobody loves lava lamps quite as much as the town of Soap Lake, Washington

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