If you’ve ever watched a movie and thought, This hero reminds me of a hero in another movie, you’re not alone. Author Joseph Campbell explored myths and stories about heroes from around the world and found that they have much in common; his work in turn inspired the creation of new movie heroes, including the heroes of the Star Wars series.
One key characteristic of autism-spectrum disorders is difficulty in interacting with others. Recent research has opened the door to a possible solution.
Having gained independence in 2011, South Sudan is the world’s youngest nation. Learn about who the South Sudanese people are, how they achieved independence, and what struggles they still face in this BBC News profile.
The Amazon River is teeming with amazing sights. Explore pictures of its strange and beautiful wildlife in this article.
Read about controversial abolitionist John Brown and the violent raid he and his men launched on a federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, 150 years ago; it set the stage for the Civil War.
A scientist from University College, London, has discovered that a purely physical aspect of the brain may be responsible for how people can look at the same thing and see two different things.
Recently, students at one university in California attempted to find common ground by wearing a Muslim headscarf, called a hijab, for one day. Read about their eye-opening experiences.
During the mid-20th century, the Soviet Union (now Russia) held many prisoners in the gulag, a collection of forced-labor camps. Ordinary citizens who questioned the government might be taken away from their families and subjected to the harsh conditions of the gulag for decades. Read about what they left behind.
Diane Ackerman, author of “Love’s Vocabulary,” fell head-over-heels for her eventual husband, author Paul West, on their first date. But in 2003, West suffered a stroke that robbed him of language. Ackerman chronicled his recovery and their evolving relationship in the book One Hundred Names for Love.
Using dead reckoning, a pilot, sailor, or hiker can navigate without relying on GPS. In this opinion piece, one pilot contrasts methods of wayfinding and reflects on what pilots’ preferences mean about how they view life.
In marrying, a couple may vow “to have and to hold” each other “till death do us part.” But what if what parts spouses is not death, but more than 35 million miles of empty space? Learn how one couple hopes to sustain the bonds between them while one remains on Earth and the other journeys to Mars, never to return.
You can read, watch, and listen to materials on the seven debates that took place between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln during the 1858 Illinois state election campaign. The prize was a seat in the Senate, but the debates mainly focused on the important and contentious issue of slavery.
Holding a position of power doesn’t have to equate with ruthlessness. These profiles of 50 modern leaders reveal the positive aspects of power.
An amazing new surgical technique is restoring some people’s lost eyesight in a surprising way—by implanting the blind person’s own tooth into the damaged eye.
The tiniest organisms are the most essential to sustaining life on earth. Discover the many ways in which we depend on microbes.
In 1957, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, was a flash point in the struggle for civil rights for all Americans. There, nine African American students attempted to attend classes in the face of angry protests and the opposition of the state’s governor. This HISTORY feature shows how ugly fear of “the Other” can be.
For a hiker lost in the wilderness, packing the right supplies is a matter of life and death. Find out what’s most important to carry along to ensure survival and a safe return home.
Part of what makes a quest heroic is the element of risk—an epic journey entails danger as well as glory, and some quests do end in tragedy. Read about the noble cause one teen pursued at the risk of his life.
The west African nation of Mali stretches from arid desert to lush tropics and is home to rich cultural traditions in music, architecture, and ancient scholarship. Recently, though, its renowned musicians have faced threats that have sent them into hiding or across the globe in search of freedom.
Powerful photographs can both connect us with the experiences of people on the other side of the world and reveal to us the wonders in our own backyard. In this TED Ed Talk, the photo director for National Geographic magazine shares compelling photos and reflects on their impact.
