history

Reflections on the Brexit vote and its parallel with Trump's campaign.

The printing press had unanticipated effects, leading to a surge in demand for spectacles and contributing to the scientific revolution.

A New Yorker video about a man who loves to see his name in print.

The debate on curiosity and its impact on society.

Umberto Eco's observation on how technology now advances backwards.

A discussion on how technology isn't ruining everything it's claimed to be ruining.

The story of a 1960 New York mid-air collision over Staten Island and Park Slope.

David McCullough's love for typewriting and his deliberate writing process.

The historical context of hacking and cultural activism, inspired by Aaron Swartz's story.

Daniel Mendelsohn discusses the cultural critic's role in the age of technology and the enduring significance of Marshall McLuhan's individual-focused perspective.

The NBA's contingency plan in case of a team losing all its players to a horrific accident.

The origin of Superman's iconic outfit.

The concept of 'weblogs' being erased from collective memory.

The unpermitted tradition of selling Christmas trees in NYC.

William Gibson's childhood memories and early influences on science fiction.

The reasoning behind Benjamin Franklin's fight for the turkey as the national bird.

An article discussing the challenge of saving data over long periods, with a notable quote from science fiction writer Bruce Sterling about the instability of digital preservation.

The impact of World War II on imagination and the lost art of big thinking.

An interview with William Gibson on the difficulty of imagining the past.