Topic

History

A collection of 432 issues

The 9th-Century Scholar Who Defined Mental Health and Pioneered Psychotherapy

Centuries before modern psychiatry, Persian polymath Abu Zayd al-Balkhi rejected supernatural causes for mental illness. He argued for a mind-body connection, classified disorders like depression and anxiety, and developed cognitive and behavioral therapies that rival modern techniques.

Medicine, Psychology & Health History Biography & Personal Stories

"That's Us, F*ckhead": The Day Steven Tyler Forgot He Was in Aerosmith

In 1984, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler heard a song on the radio and eagerly suggested the band cover it. Guitarist Joe Perry had to remind him, "That's us, f*ckhead." Tyler, in a haze of rock and roll excess, had completely forgotten their own 1975 ballad, "You See Me Crying."

Music Biography & Personal Stories History

Meet Margery Kempe: The Medieval Mystic Who Wrote the First Autobiography and Wept Her Way Through Europe

Margery Kempe, a 15th-century English mystic, defied convention by writing the first autobiography in English. A mother of 14, she was famous for her loud, public weeping, unauthorized preaching, and repeatedly facing down heresy charges during her extensive pilgrimages across Europe.

Biography & Personal Stories History Religion & Philosophy

The Polish Spy Who Became a Nazi General: The Unbelievable Story of Kazimierz Leski

Kazimierz Leski, a Polish intelligence officer, adopted the disguise of a Wehrmacht general to travel across Nazi-occupied Europe. He completed over 25 missions, stealing vital military secrets and funneling intelligence to the Allies, all while never being caught by the Germans.

Wars, Conflict & Heroes History Biography & Personal Stories

From the Urals to the Danube: The Surprising Siberian Roots of Finnish and Hungarian

Finnish and Hungarian are linguistic islands in Europe, unrelated to their neighbors. They belong to the Uralic family, with a common ancestor from Western Siberia thousands of years ago. While not mutually intelligible, they share grammar, structure, and ancient vocabulary.

History Art, Culture & Design Geography & Places

The Basilica Built on a Basilica: The Lost History of Old St. Peter's

The iconic St. Peter's Basilica we know today is actually the second version. It was built in the 16th century directly atop the foundation of the original basilica, a magnificent 4th-century structure ordered by Emperor Constantine that stood as the heart of Western Christendom for 1200 years.

History Religion & Philosophy Art, Culture & Design

The Seeds of Deceit: How One Man's 'Bio-Piracy' Crashed Brazil's Economy

In 1876, British explorer Henry Wickham smuggled 70,000 rubber seeds from Brazil. By deceiving customs, he enabled the creation of Asian plantations, breaking Brazil's global monopoly and causing the catastrophic collapse of its rubber-fueled economy. A classic case of bio-piracy.

History Business & Economics Science & Nature

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