History

March 16, 2024

Gershwin’s Long-Lost Musical “La La Lucille” Rediscovered and Performed for the First Time

What's your favorite musical? Do you belt out “Defying Gravity” when you're alone? Do you still dance anytime “Seasons of Love” from Rent starts playing? Do you still dream of the incredible costumes from The Lion King? Chances are, if you're a Broadway enthusiast or music aficionado, you know George Gershwin's work. Born in 1898, the legendary composer produced classics throughout his short life before dying in 1937.

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March 3, 2024

The Multicultural History of Why the U.S. Has No Official Language

Most countries have an official language. For example, Canada boasts dual official languages: French and English. Switzerland has four, which are largely geographically segmented in their usage. Bolivia boasts the Guinness World Record for most official languages at 37—including Spanish and a litany of Indigenous languages spoken by citizens. Even when not an official language, English is spoken widely across the world and forms a bridge between language divides.

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February 19, 2024

12-Year-Old Proves That Archimedes’ 3rd-Century Death Ray Is Plausible

A middle school student from Ontario has just proven that the mythical heat ray by Greek mathematician Archimedes could be real. Purported to have been used to burn Roman ships during the 3rd century BCE Siege of Syracuse, this invention used mirrors and the sun to defeat the enemy. Archimedes' death ray was first mentioned in the 2nd century CE by the author Lucian, who said that Archimedes burned enemy ships.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.