How a Voyage to French Polynesia Set Herman Melville on the Course to Write 'Moby-Dick'
We retrace the journey that had a long-lasting influence on the enigmatic author's improbable career
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A Brief History of Smokey Bear, the Forest Service's Legendary Mascot
How the beloved figure has become a lightning rod in a heated environmental debate
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When Twister Was Too Risqué for America
The hugely successful game, patented 50 years ago this week, had its critics at first
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When 6-Year-Olds Chose Jury Candidates
Before computers randomly issued jury summons, some state laws required that children do the picking
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A Timeline of Apollo's Journey to the Moon
Tracking the moments from when JFK declared the moonshot to "one giant leap to mankind"
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The Delicious, Ancient History of Chocolate and Vanilla
Archaeologists are discovering that two of the world’s most prized flavors have a much richer history than we thought
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The Snakes That Ate Florida
Bounty hunters and biologists wade deep into the Everglades to wrestle with the invasion of giant pythons threatening the state's wetlands
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To Make Jellyfish More Appetizing, Add Light and Sound Effects to the Dining Experience
Gastrophysicists are going to great lengths to convince Westerners to indulge in the tasteless sustainable seafood
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New Exhibit at SFMOMA Highlights the Art of the Mistake
These photographs make the most of getting it wrong
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An Electrifying History of Air Guitar
How the world's most popular invisible instrument became such a hit
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While NASA Was Landing on the Moon, Many African-Americans Sought Economic Justice Instead
For those living in poverty, the billions spent on the Apollo program, no matter how inspiring the mission, laid bare the nation's priorities
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Why Don't People Smile in Old Photographs? And More Questions From Our Readers
You asked, we answered
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This Florida Music Festival Takes Place Completely Underwater
To draw attention to coral reef conservation, divers play 'bass-oons' and 'trombonefish' at the Underwater Music Festival in Key West
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In Battles of Man Versus Machine, James Bond Always Wins
We love the suave character because he soothes our anxieties about the power of humans in an increasingly technological world
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Apollo Engineers Discuss What It Took to Land on the Moon
The people who bent metal and built spaceships recall the culture and leadership that made it possible to send humans to the lunar surface
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Five Scientific Findings That Could Lead to New Inventions
From cat tongues to dandelions seeds, engineers often look in peculiar places for inspiration
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The Spectacle and Drama of Netflix’s New Glassblowing Show Will Shatter Your Expectations
"Blown Away" showcases the incredible art form in an innovative reality competition series
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Will Cities of the Future Have Floating Farms?
In the Netherlands, an experimental floating dairy farm promises to reduce emissions and increase food security
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When Ancient DNA Gets Politicized
What responsibility do archaeologists have when their research about prehistoric finds is appropriated to make 21st-century arguments about ethnicity?
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There's a Massive Jester Floating on Austria's Lake Constance
Each year at the Bregenz Festival, a set designer creates an elaborate opera stage on the water
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