Why is Einstein still so alive? June 10, 2020 In the title of his keynote address at a conference to investigate Einstein’s impact on science, culture, and the public-political discourse at the dawn of the twenty-first century, Gerald Holton, a pioneer of Einstein scholarship in the historical and philosophical context, asked why Einstein is still so alive. Read More
Eric H. Cline on Digging Up Armageddon June 09, 2020 In 1925, James Henry Breasted, famed Egyptologist and director of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, sent a team of archaeologists to the Holy Land to excavate the ancient site of Megiddo—Armageddon in the New Testament—which the Bible says was fortified by King Solomon. Read More
Look to the past to see where our democracy is headed June 02, 2020 When we think about the history of democracy we need to first recognize one thing; the Greeks gave us the word demokratia, but they did not invent the practice. Read More
Why protests matter in American democracy June 02, 2020 As protests continue nationwide in honor of George Floyd and to express outrage with systemic racism, it remains to be seen how the current civil unrest will shape democracy long term, and impact voting in the fall. Read More
The Marquis de Sade and solitude June 01, 2020 As many of us look out at the world from behind the walls and windows of our homes or reach out to others through screens and online chats, we increasingly find the boundaries between time and space blurring before our eyes. Read More
Books that will transport you June 01, 2020 While summer vacation plans may be on pause, armchair traveling is having a moment. From archaeological adventures to alien oceans; from the landscapes of Tolkien to the backstreets of Brooklyn, this is the summer for books that transport. Read More
Mysteries of the first mastodon May 29, 2020 Bones from the last ice age might be standard for a natural history conservator, but it’s not the norm at an art museum. Read More
Emily Sigalow on American JewBu May 27, 2020 May is Jewish American Heritage month, and it is worth noting that today, many Jewish Americans are embracing a dual religious identity, for instance, practicing Buddhism while also staying connected to their Jewish roots. Read More
The Humboldt connection between nature and American art May 21, 2020 An exhibition titled Alexander von Humboldt and the United States: Art, Nature, and Culture will be shown at the Smithsonian American Art Museum located at 8th & F Streets NW in Washington, DC, opening in 2020. Read More
Robert DiYanni and Anton Borst on The Craft of College Teaching May 19, 2020 Teaching is more than a job or a career; it is a profession and a calling. It is a craft that can be mastered over time with practice and persistence. Read More
Hanoch Gutfreund and Jürgen Renn on Einstein on Einstein May 18, 2020 At the end of World War II, Albert Einstein was invited to write his intellectual autobiography for the Library of Living Philosophers. The resulting book was his uniquely personal Autobiographical Notes, a classic work in the history of science that explains the development of his ideas with unmatched warmth and clarity. Read More
By Design | The Papers of Thomas Jefferson May 17, 2020 In a ceremony at the Library of Congress on May 17, 1950, President Harry S. Truman accepted the first volume of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, an ambitious project that would span multiple decades and vastly different modes of production. Read More
Standing Rock, Bears Ears, and Native American religious freedom May 15, 2020 In late March, more than three years after Standing Rock’s camps drew the nation’s attention to their campaign to “Defend the Sacred,” the tribe gained a clear court victory. Read More
Listen in: Why Trust Science? May 15, 2020 Naomi Oreskes has offered recent commentary on why many Americans reject the facts about the coronavirus and strategies for addressing a scientific skepticism that has long existed. Do doctors really know what they are talking about when they tell us vaccines are safe? Read More
Forrest Stuart on Ballad of the Bullet May 14, 2020 Amid increasing hardship and limited employment options, poor urban youth are developing creative online strategies to make ends meet. Using such social media platforms as YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, they’re capitalizing on the public’s fascination with the ghetto and gang violence. Read More
