The Marginalian
The Marginalian

Reads tagged with “good to know”

Perversion for Profit: Vintage Anti-Porn Propaganda
Perversion for Profit: Vintage Anti-Porn Propaganda

A vintage card from the Tea Party playbook, or what the Kama Sutra has to do with the fall of the Roman Empire.

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Maphead: Exploring the Mystery of Why Maps Sing to Us
Maphead: Exploring the Mystery of Why Maps Sing to Us

What Lake Michigan has to do with Sweden, or why James Joyce was bored in geography class.

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1951 Black-and-White Animation on How Different Drugs Work
1951 Black-and-White Animation on How Different Drugs Work

From poppies to paupers, or what Cold War politics have to do with the social psychology of addiction.

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World Science Festival: Scents and Sensibilities, or How Smell Works
World Science Festival: Scents and Sensibilities, or How Smell Works

From pheromones to disease detection via smell, or what your nose has to do with the neurochemistry of nostalgia.

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You’re a Wonder: How Your Ear Works
You’re a Wonder: How Your Ear Works

Why temporary deafness is good for you, or what sound waves have to do with the smallest bone in the body.

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People Who Became Nouns: The Music Video
People Who Became Nouns: The Music Video

Boycott, Maverick, Guillotine, Shrapnel, Cardigan, Sandwich, Silhouette, Zeppelin, Leotard, Lamborghini.

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New York and the Dawn of Cartoons: 7 Animation Pioneers
New York and the Dawn of Cartoons: 7 Animation Pioneers

What lovable dinosaurs have to do with chalkboard, Cab Calloway and the hypocrisies of Hollywood.

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How the Aurora Borealis Works
How the Aurora Borealis Works

Demystifying the cosmic origins of one of Earth’s greatest wonders, or what solar storms have to do with snow.

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Monoculture: How Our Era’s Dominant Story Shapes Our Lives
Monoculture: How Our Era’s Dominant Story Shapes Our Lives

What Galileo has to do with the economy, or how Wall Street is moulding your taste in art.

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1493: An Uncommon History of How Columbus Changed the World
1493: An Uncommon History of How Columbus Changed the World

What events from half a millennium ago can teach us about the globalization debate today.

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