Before South Africa’s late president Nelson Mandela was an inspiring world leader, he was a prisoner, jailed for 27 years for his actions opposing his country’s apartheid rule. Watch dramatic video documenting his release from prison in 1990.
People often refuse to see facts that disprove a common belief. This excerpt from the book You Are Now Less Dumb by David McRaney examines why we stick to easily-disproved ideas and how we can get smarter about what we see and think.
A family of six spent two days stranded in the freezing Nevada wilderness. Read this article to learn how they survived their ordeal.
A couple arrested in Yemen have sparked a major Facebook campaign. Read this article to find out about this modern-day Romeo and Juliet.
What sacrifices would you make for a sibling? Read this article to find out why Tracy Barnes gave up her spot on the U.S. Olympic biathlon team for her twin sister.
Alec Smith, age 17, risked his own life to save a child from a dangerous river. He received the Carnegie Medal for his heroism.
Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault reflects on the character and achievements of South Africa’s first black president.
This profile explores the roots of Jamaica Kincaid’s success as a writer.
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster was the world’s worst nuclear accident. Thousands of people were relocated to other cities. But 1,200 people, mostly older women, came back to live in the toxic Exclusion Zone, unwilling to be displaced from their homes. Read the article and view the video to find out what bonds these women to their homeland.
Eric Whitacre is the creator and conductor of the virtual choir, a network of YouTube-connected singers from around the world who came together to create a virtual choir. Watch this video to hear their story and their magical music.
