May 22, 2019
Introduction The year 2019 marks the centenary of the Treaty of Versailles being written, signed, and rejected by the U.S Senate. These events also coincide with the end of World War 1. Named after the palace and town that it was signed in, the Treaty of Versailles outlined the peace agreements...
May 11, 2019
Introduction On May 6th, 2019, the world welcomed a new member of the British Royal Family: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The first sneak peak of the new baby was produced on instagram, and within hours #royalbaby was trending on twitter. Despite his family's ancient pedigree, it was clear from the beginning that...
May 1, 2019
Introduction When buildings witness the growing pains of a nation, and weather the assaults of time, they become emblematic of their surroundings. Structures that were once merely beautiful can take on a new power when hallowed by the ages; an undeniable power that seduces the whole world. Notre Dame de Paris is...
April 13, 2019
When the Amber Waves Were Blue Anyone who has ever driven through Kansas is familiar with the endless wheat fields whose brassy waves resemble those of the ocean. Not everyone knows that when they are in Kansas, they are standing on what was once the bottom of a 3,000 foot-deep ocean...
April 2, 2019
In 1970, activism was on the mind of Americans. Anti-war movements had rocked the country, and the United States was still forming a new consciousness in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement. There must have been a palpable sense that, as Eleanor Roosevelt put it, "a small group of thoughtful,...
November 9, 2018
In Game of Thrones, during the Battle of Blackwater Bay, the Lannister forces under the direction of Tyrion Lannister unleash a devastating and dangerous weapon: Wildfire. This incendiary weapon, capable of burning even on water and near impossible to put out, engulfs the fleet of Stannis Baratheon in unnatural green...
August 8, 2018
People love sharks. Just look at The Discovery Channel’s annual “Shark Week” programming, which this year is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Whether it be educational programs about the ocean’s most fearsome predators or popcorn entertainment like Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster film Jaws, sharks capture our imaginations like few other creatures can....
June 19, 2018
The scientific depiction of a dinosaur today is far different from what both scientists and the general public believed 20 years ago. In fact, our understanding of how dinosaurs behaved and what they looked like has changed almost constantly from when dinosaur fossils were first discovered. But though our scientific...
December 19, 2017
For generations now families have donned their holiday best to appreciate what is arguably the most recognizable ballet of all time. But, did you know that when it first premiered in December of 1892, The Nutcracker was met with ambivalent reviews. Many felt that the original choreography was lack-luster. And...
September 8, 2017
To the literati and officialdom of ancient China, tea represented “elegance, harmony, friendliness, and grace”. The act of tea drinking was a way in which one could “cultivate the mind and improve moral integrity” and it was admired as a drink that was pure of content and consisting of elegant...