Part of the thrill of watching a circus performance is the inherent danger—what if that trapeze artist or tightrope walker falls? Read about the precautions circus performers take to ensure their safety, and what happens when things go wrong.
Tag Archives: People
Stephen Hawking: Biography
The subject of the award-winning film The Theory of Everything, physicist Stephen Hawking has changed our understanding of the universe while undergoing substantial changes in his own life.
A Best Friend? You Must Be Kidding
Some of our best friends are the ones we make during elementary school. But some schools actively discourage the formation of close friendships. Read about the reasons in favor of and against BFFs.
Meet the Tenacious Gardeners Putting Down Roots in “America’s Most Desperate Town”
Community gardens have been springing up on blighted urban blocks for decades, but perhaps no city in America needs them more than Camden, New Jersey. Find out how community gardens are bringing together people from all walks of life to solve this city’s pressing problems.
Why Air Force Cadets Ought to Study Philosophy
An admiral realized that the Air Force Academy studies in STEM subjects should be balanced with humanities courses. Find out why the Academy thinks these courses will help young people as they grow into adulthood and face present-day challenges.
One 9 year old’s dream for changing the world — with knitting
Read about a non-profit organization set up by a 9-year old girl to use knitting as a tool to help educate women around the world.
The Hatfield & McCoy Feud
Like the Capulets and Montagues, the legendary Hatfield and McCoy feud featured long-standing and sometimes deadly conflict between families . . . and love between members of the feuding clans.
How this guide dog helps one blind triathlete chase her Paralympic dream
Paralympic hopeful Amy Dixon describes how her guide dog Elvis has been an integral part of her success.
Bombing Survivor Rebekah Gregory On Marathon: ‘I Took My Life Back Today’
Returning to the race that caused her to become an amputee, Boston Marathon bombing victim Rebekah Gregory has crossed the finish line.
Who Was Edmund Pettus?
Just who was Edmund Pettus, and why was the famous bridge in Selma named for him? Find out here.
Hug a tree – the evidence shows it really will make you feel better
Researchers look into the effects that a growing disconnect from nature may have.
Edith Wharton Reveals the ‘Deeper Processes’ Behind Her Art
In 1933, author Edith Wharton revealed her writing process in an article published in The Atlantic.
Does Success Breed Success?
In a 2014 study, a sociology research team at the State University of New York at Stony Brook found that one initial success leads to more success in the future.
Running for His Life
The 1990s genocide in Rwanda and Burundi turned classmates into adversaries overnight. Learn about how one teen escaped the carnage and made a new life for himself in the United States.
Why Your Family Name Was Not Changed at Ellis Island
One of America’s strengths is the way its people have come together from all over the world, many of them through Ellis Island. But the persistent myth that immigrant’s names were “Americanized” by officials at Ellis Island is false.
Can Travel Change You?
Journeys of discovery aren’t just for epic heroes. Anytime we travel someplace new, we change and grow.
What Is Diffusion of Responsibility?
As an adult, you are responsible for your actions. However, when people are in a group, they don’t always take responsibility for taking action. Read about why this occurs and what decisions a person must make, especially in an emergency.
Flight 93
On September 11, 2001, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 decided to fight their plane’s hijackers rather than let them keep control of the plane. Read about how their decision changed what might have happened.
Cave Paintings and Artifacts
The ideas of people who lived tens of thousands of years ago are preserved in cave paintings. Read what art historians speculate cave dwellers were trying to communicate.
Mystery of Anne Frank’s informer revealed by Dutch author
A newly published book adds another suspect to the list of people who might have betrayed the Frank family.