Telling scary stories around a campfire is an American tradition. In many modern summer camps, however, scary stories are being phased out in favor of activities that have more identifiably “positive outcomes” for everyone. Read this article and decide how you feel about the issue.
What do you have in common with heroes in literature, movies, and television? It may be more than you think. Watch this short video to learn about the the hero’s journey myth.
The cultural differences between regions in the United States are as pronounced as the geographical ones. But how can we explain and describe the differences in attitudes, customs, and behaviors between states? This article describes one potential framework.
Romeo and Juliet fall madly in love at first sight. But does this happen in real life? Read this article to find out what researchers have discovered about your brain and love.
As our lives become ever fuller with individual commitments and distractions, it’s easy to let go of family traditions that might not seem as pressing. But what might we lose in the long run when we skip out on things that were once important enough to have become traditions?
Fear is a basic human response, but scientists still don’t completely understand it. Read about their efforts, using scans of blood flow in the brain, to further comprehend this complex reaction.
There’s no question that Edgar Allan Poe has made a lasting impression on American popular culture. This article uses the release of a movie about a dangerous obsession with Poe to take a look back at the author’s pop culture legacy.
The national anthem, your school’s alma mater or fight song—singing in a group can make you feel emotionally connected. But is there also a physiological response? Read this article to find out.
The Odyssey is one of the most exciting stories ever told, of a long and complicated heroic journey. This interactive story map summarizes Odysseus’s journey using a modern-day map and representations in art.
September 17 of every year is observed as Constitution Day. However, not many Americans have read the important document that outlines our freedoms. Read this article to find out how to make the Constitution relevant to your life.
Some recent studies have shown that human beings are actually hard-wired to gossip, and that gossip serves a social function in helping us bond with others. But do the negative consequences of gossip outweigh the positive ones?
Want to undertake your own expedition one day? The Royal Geographical Society was founded in 1830 and has supported many famous explorers, such as Sir Ernest Shackleton and Sir Edmund Hillary. Read these tips for planning a successful expedition. Then, explore the site for more information about this historic society.
According to Laurence Gonzales, making small changes in the way you approach everyday life will help you survive if disaster ever strikes. Read the article to find out his 14 survival skills.
Shakespeare is possibly the most famous playwright of all time, but much of his life is shrouded in mystery. Explore the timeline of events that shaped Shakespeare’s world. Then, explore the “In Search of Shakespeare” site to learn more about the man and his works.
Pow wows are events in which Native Americans can express their cultural heritage through dance and foster a sense of community. Traditional pow wows have been around for hundreds of years, but a newer kind of intertribal event has become popular recently. Read about how the two forms coexist in today’s pow wow culture.
Using golden eagles to hunt is an ancient tradition in the Altai mountains of Mongolia. Meet Ashol-Pan, who might be the only girl learning this challenging skill.
This timeline is organized into six time periods, each of which has excerpts and images from primary and secondary sources. Scan the entire timeline or choose to focus on one or two time periods for a more in-depth look at the history of immigration in the U.S.
For years, heartbroken people have been sending letters to the city of Verona addressed to Juliet. In the 1990s, the city of Verona created the Juliet Club to deal with all the letters. Read the article, and then listen to the full story.
Research has shown that the bond between parents and children affects brain development. This story gives a brief overview of this ongoing research and tells how the lack of a parental bond has impacted the life of one man who was adopted at the age of 11.
The director of England’s National Theatre admits that even he doesn’t always understand Shakespeare’s language. Read the article to find out why.
