Teens on the autism spectrum may have trouble interacting with others. The challenge of performing improv comedy can help.
Author Archives: Mikki Gibson
Johns Hopkins researchers say they’ve unlocked key to cancer metastasis and how to slow it
Cancer cells are our own cells, changed to reproduce rapidly. A young medical researcher figured out what triggers the life-threatening change that spreads cancer cells throughout the body.
What if you were on an elevator and the cable broke?
Elevators make some people nervous—probably because they’ve seen movies that feature dramatic elevator plunges. But is there really anything to be afraid of?
Wonder Woman and the Importance of the Female Hero Moment
What makes a summer blockbuster movie something more than mere entertainment? Read one writer’s opinion.
Rats Aren’t Smarter Than Mice and That Actually Matters
Psychology researchers are beginning to change one of their most basic assumptions about their test subjects.
Emily Dickinson’s Letters
Dickinson’s mentor Thomas Wentworth Higginson shares his impressions of her along with several of her letters to him.
86 Percent of Earth’s Species Still Unknown?
If you thought we already knew about all of our fellow earthlings, think again.
Fair is foul and foul is fair: Macbeth in Tunisia
How did a 400-year-old English drama apply to the Arab Spring?
How 2 California Legislators Are Working Together to Find The Political Center
However politically polarized we may sometimes seem, it is possible to find common ground.
A chronicle of Afghanistan’s modern-day Romeo and Juliet
Warring families still try to stand in the way of true love today. Here’s a real-life Romeo and Juliet tale with a happier ending.
Bert the Turtle Ducks and Covers
In the mid-20th century a new type of potential disaster emerged in the form of atomic warfare. Learn about how school children were instructed to protect themselves.
Fannie Lou Hamer
Read about the struggles and achievements of a Civil Rights icon.
Rural schools often the heart of small E. Washington towns
Across the nation, budget cuts threaten the existence of small schools in rural areas. Read about the important role some of these schools play in binding communities together.
Paul Revere: Fast Facts
Learn more about the life and accomplishments of a famed patriot.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is a powerful reminder of the toll of war. Learn about the Wall, the service members whose names are listed there, and other tributes at this website maintained by Vietnam war veterans.
The Unexpected Genius of Corvids
Corvids—members of the crow family—demonstrate a surprising range of intelligent behaviors in their interactions with humans.
Why We’re Afraid of Heights
It makes sense to feel nervous when standing on a cliff, but why do we fear heights even when there’s no chance of falling?
The best friendships never die
A journalist reflects on the evolving bonds of a friendship formed on the basketball court.
100th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution
Russia’s 1917 Revolution strove to free the people from the imperial rule of the Czars. As with the Arab Spring, though, a successful revolution was no guarantee of freedom from oppression.
Why Washington Relinquished His Power, and Why He Returned
Shakespeare’s Macbeth wanted to rule so badly that he was willing to kill for the crown. Read about how one of our greatest leaders took the opposite approach to power.