History
An Unsung Hero of Gaming History Deserves a Higher Profile
Jerry Lawson, the inventor of the game cartridge, isn't quite a household name. A podcast aims to shed some light on his life and accomplishments.
The Prisoner Who Revolutionized Language With a Teacup
While imprisoned for being a “reactionary,” physicist and engineer Zhi Bingyi began devising a system to help computing machines read Chinese characters.
Old Climate Clues Shed New Light on History
Historians are reexamining eras of social turmoil and linking them to volcanic eruptions, prolonged droughts, and other disturbances in the natural world.
Tropical Futurism Envisions the Climate of Our Fate
Futurism has failed. It’s time for an alternative. In the era of climate change, tropical futurism reimagines a different relationship to the earth.
The History of Predicting the Future
Humans have long tried to determine the shape of what’s to come. But even the most advanced technology can’t solve the fundamental issues with predictions.
Who Killed the Robot Dog?
The robotic companion was once a dream of techno-utopianism, but has instead become a terrifying weapon. What happened?
The Watch That Made Everything Now
When the Pulsar debuted in 1972, the first digital watch offered a new concept of time—and foreshadowed our fraught relationship with instantaneity.
‘My Body Is Used to Design Military Tech’
The prosthetics industry and military have a long history that doesn’t serve most people with limb difference. It’s time for a justice-oriented approach.
A Cosmic Ray Event Pinpoints the Viking Landing in Canada
The celestial storm produced carbon-14 atoms found in the rings of a tree felled by Norse explorers, proving they made it to North America 1,000 years ago.
Age of Empires IV Wants to Teach You a Lesson
Can a video game be historically accurate? The team behind the iconic series wanted to give it a try.
West Point Chemists Re-Create Medieval Gunpowder Recipes
Following an antique manuscript, researchers mixed up (and then blew up) some early formulations to learn how explosive-making has evolved.
Can a Game Get Young Players Interested in Holocaust History?
The Light in the Darkness, co-written by a researcher and Holocaust survivor, aims to educate a new generation—and inspire them to learn more.
A People’s History of Black Twitter, Part III
Joy and pain, harmony and discord, organization and chaos—there’s no single way to define Black Twitter’s complex, ongoing legacy.
A People’s History of Black Twitter, Part II
No longer just an online movement, Black Twitter takes to the streets—and finds its voice.
.jpg)
A People’s History of Black Twitter, Part I
From #UKnowUrBlackWhen to #BlackLivesMatter, how a loose online network became a pop culture juggernaut, an engine of social justice, and a lens into the future.
Streaming Games to Your TV Actually Started in the '80s
Subscription video gaming services seem like a new idea. But 40 years before Game Pass, you could get Burgertime straight to your tube.
My Mother Is Gone. But Her Digital Voice Helps Keep Me Well
I made the audio recording shortly before she passed. I didn't know that it would become a powerful tool to keep me motivated.
The 60-Year-Old Scientific Screwup That Helped Covid Kill
All pandemic long, scientists brawled over how the virus spreads. Droplets! No, aerosols! At the heart of the fight was a teensy error with huge consequences.
How to Use Tech to Capture Your Family History
Our elders have rich stories to share. There’s no better time than now to sit down and hit Record.
Fighting Games Like Mortal Kombat Have Come a Long Way
The genre has long relied on racial and gender stereotypes. Recent strides in diversity have made it better (and more fun) to choose your fighter.
Howard Scott Warshaw Pleads Not Guilty to Killing Video Games
Better known as HSW, the legendary Atari developer talks about the infamous E.T. game, his new book, and why Steven Spielberg still hasn’t called him back.
Sleuths Read Old Booby-Trapped Letters Without Opening Them
People once folded their correspondence in intricate ways, known as “letterlocking,” to keep out snoops. A fancy new imaging technique sees right through it.
I Love Reading 1980s Computer Magazines, and So Should You
It’s not just a nostalgia thing. Sifting through the past often leads to something new.
What Hades Can Teach Us About Ancient Greek Masculinity
Everyone in the game may be hot, but some of the characterizations we see aren't as subversive as you might think.