The evolving "Wild West" of political advertising
Media experts discuss how the ways in which politicians and campaign issues are advertised has exploded, and why negative ads often win out over positive ones, even as people are down on negativity.
Portrait of a genius: Ken Burns on Leonardo da Vinci
The acclaimed filmmaker behind the PBS documentary on the 15th century Italian artist and intellectual calls Leonardo da Vinci "one of the most incredibly interesting human beings who has ever walked the Earth."
Protecting whales from ship strikes
Endangered whale species face a major threat on the high seas: cruise and container ships that have difficulty avoiding collisions with whales. But there are new tools that may help reduce ship strikes.
Malcolm Gladwell's life has changed; he has not
The bestselling author's latest, "Revenge of the Tipping Point," builds on a familiar idea from his books: You may think you know how the world works, but you're wrong!
How Mad Magazine's humor created a revolution
The humor magazine that began in 1952 as a comic book making fun of other comic books soon became an institution for mocking authority in all spheres of life, from TV, movies and advertising, to politicians and parents. Now its art is in a museum.
Reality check: How divided is America, really?
If you listen to polls and pundits, you may assume that politics has polarized Americans. But while we tend to have an exaggerated idea of what other people believe, statistics show Americans actually agree on a whole lot.
Reality check: What we get wrong about crime
The number of Americans who think that crime rates are going up hasn't been this high in decades. But FBI statistics show that perception and reality are two very different things.
Reality check: What's up with the economy?
The economy is the #1 issue for voters, and polls say most Americans, when asked about the economy, are pessimistic. But according to many indicators, the economy is actually doing quite well. So, why the disparity?
The electric-plane future is about to take off
Advances being made in aviation technology allow a plane to be powered by batteries, promising a more environmentally-friendly, quieter and cheaper ride that may not even require a runway.
The ethical quandary facing the Supreme Court (and America)
Polls show Americans' trust in the Supreme Court has never been lower, especially in light of ethical lapses that lead observers to question the impartiality of the justices.
The Wayback Machine, a time machine for the web
Because the web is ephemeral, the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine has made backups of websites continually since 1996, with nearly 900 billion pages preserved. But making books and music freely available has led to lawsuits by publishers and the music industry.
Why does product design sometimes fail? It's complicated
Everywhere you look, products are getting too complicated, with more and more features aimed at attracting consumers. For designers, it's a constant and complex balance to get it just right.
Ingenuity, NASA's "little 'copter that could" (and did!)
When NASA added a tiny four-pound helicopter as a stowaway to its Mars 2020 lander, it expected the helicopter to fly five very brief flights in the thin Martian atmosphere. Yet, Ingenuity would far surpass all expectations.
Cryptocurrency is making lots of noise, literally
The peace and quiet of rural Bono, Arkansas, has been shattered by a loud and incessant mechanical buzzing sound created by a bitcoin mine. Residents are HODL.
What happens during a solar eclipse? Experts explain the awe-inspiring phenomena to expect on April 8
Monday's total eclipse of the sun will be viewable across a swath of 13 states. Learn what happens during an eclipse, and about preparations in one Arkansas town that is expected to double in size due to eclipse tourism traffic.