Maps, and sometimes their inaccuracy, played an important role in the French and Indian War and in the Revolutionary War.
Author Archives: Anita Hacker
Why Teens Ignore Risk For a Little Reward
Researchers study dopamine levels in adolescents to understand why they take many risks.
Spanish American War
Read this overview of the Spanish American War and watch the related video about Theodore Roosevelt’s role in it.
Photography and the Civil War, 1861–1865
Read about the work of Civil War photographers, who mostly shot post-battle scenes and camp life, because the laborious process prohibited them from safely documenting the action of battle. Click the image at the top to view a slideshow of photos from the time.
You can do it, baby!
Journalist Leslie Garrett argues that adults shouldn’t tell children, “You could be anything,” but rather, “Be what you’re capable of.”
10 Steps To Conquering Information Overload
Learn about a few ways people can de-clutter their minds at work.
“Yankee Doodle” – Traditional: History of an American folk song
British soldiers sang “Yankee Doodle” to mock the Americans, who eventually turned the song into a source of pride and anthem of their own.
Bessie Coleman
In the face of countless obstacles, Bessie Coleman was determined to become a pilot. Read about her pioneering efforts to become the first African American female pilot in American history.
Write your story, change history
People don’t need to be old to make history. In this talk, Brad Meltzer encourages young people to change the world by following three simple principles.
Remembering Earthquake Shacks, San Francisco’s Original Tiny Houses
After the 1906 earthquake and fire that destroyed a large portion of San Francisco, refugee camps of very small houses were built. They were later moved to different parts of the city and some still exist today.
What makes a hero?
This article examines some of the traits that allow people to act heroically or prevent them from doing so.
Woman describes what it was like to be the only survivor of a flight obliterated by a thunderstorm
Juliane Koepcke recounts surviving a plane crash and eleven days alone in the Peruvian jungle decades earlier.
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela review – one man’s otherworldly patience
To commerate Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid in South Africa, a collection of letters written during his imprisonment was recently published. Critic Tim Adams shares what he discovered about the already well-known leader.
This Is Your Brain on Summer
In this opinion piece, education expert Jeff Smink argues that enriching summer school programs will stymie learning loss and help students succeed.
What is peace?
Anthropologist Margaret Paxson writes about her struggle to quantify peace and ultimately argues that peace is knowable.
Caltech Researchers Ask: Is Risk-Taking Behavior Contagious?
Researchers at the Caltech Brain Imaging Center found that participants in a study were more likely to gamble when they saw peers doing so.
A Photographer Follows in Gandhi’s Footsteps
See photos retracing the route of Gandhi’s famous Salt March and learn about the photographer’s experience in this interview.
The Epic Quest to Ride the World’s Biggest Wave
Follow the journey of Garret McNamara as he attempts to surf the dangerously large waves of Portugal.
What the rest of us can learn from the Wild Boars soccer team about the importance of survival, coping skills
Survival experts discuss what the Thai soccer team that was trapped in a cave did right to get through the two weeks before they were rescued.
How Mirages Work
Have you ever been in a car on a hot day and seen water on the road far away, only to find that there’s nothing there? If so, you’ve seen a trick of the light called a mirage. This article explains what causes mirages and the different types you might see.