A collection of great stories that teach, inform, and inspire millions of readers.

The green anaconda is a colossal snake found in the Amazon rainforest and a central figure in the region’s mythical and cosmological life.

The US Marine Corps had many officers who epitomized its culture of fearlessness. Lewis “Chesty” Puller in particular became a legend for his exploits.

Neanderthals had unique biological traits that exemplify their evolutionary trajectory, shaped by factors that differed markedly from those experienced by Homo sapiens.

Neanderthals had unique biological traits that exemplify their evolutionary trajectory, shaped by factors that differed markedly from those experienced by Homo sapiens.

These lost ancient landmarks represent the height of human achievement. Uncover the dramatic stories of how they were erased from existence.

Throughout its history, ancient Egypt was conquered by various powerful foreign empires, each of which left its mark on the ancient and enduring culture.

The green anaconda is a colossal snake found in the Amazon rainforest and a central figure in the region’s mythical and cosmological life.

The US Marine Corps had many officers who epitomized its culture of fearlessness. Lewis “Chesty” Puller in particular became a legend for his exploits.

16-year-old Baldwin IV led a charge that shattered Saladin’s army. Here is the tactical miracle of the Battle of Montgisard.

Standing at the crossroads of Ancient Greek cosmology and early biology, Empedocles is best known for proposing that all matter is composed of four roots.

The problem of moral luck might mean we need a radical change in how we think about morality.

Sartre believed human beings were responsible for who they become. For him, everyone has a free choice to be who they are. Camus disagreed.

The oldest museums began as collections accessible only to the powerful elite. Luckily, societies have become a little more egalitarian nowadays.

Across much of Asia, building museums was a deliberate attempt to preserve memory, craft, and context in societies that were changing at lightning speed.

Japan’s museums cover a wide range of historical periods, from early state formation and Buddhism to urban life, modern art, and postwar rebuilding.

Thomas initially doubted reports that Jesus had risen from the dead. But tradition holds that he travelled farther than any other apostle with the news.

The saga of David’s rise to power is one of the Bible’s most intriguing stories. Joab is one of its most fascinating—and tragic—characters.

From Sarajevo to Skopje, trace Sufi orders, core practices, and the tekkes that defined the Ottoman Balkans.

The Blue Fugates of Troublesome Creek baffled science for decades, until a rare mutation that caused the color was discovered.

The counterculture movement was the result of a generation that rejected social norms and traditional ways of previous decades.

When the Black Death struck Europe, society didn’t know how to treat it. Some remedies had their basis in herbal medicine, but others were nonsense and made patients worse.