Far fewer Americans speak a second language than in most other developed countries – and the problem starts in the classroom.Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.comA recent report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences calls for more attention to language teaching in the U.S. The report notes that U.S. students have much less access to...
The Roman army at the Battle of Cannae. The painting depicts the death of Roman consul Paulus Aemilius.John Trumbull (The Athenaeum / Yale University Art Gallery), via Wikimedia CommonsIn a series of recent tweets, Donald Trump proposed to ban transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. This proposal would reverse the inclusive policies...
A statue of Henry David Thoreau in front of a replica of his cabin in Concord, Massachusetts.Chris Devers, CC BY-NC-NDThe world knows Henry David Thoreau as a writer whose perspectives on nature and society remain relevant today.
This summer, Thoreau would have turned 200 years old. What would he say about the media itself, now that Americans must...
Read more: Henry David Thoreau’s views of 19th-century media resonate today
People watch news on missile launch in Pyongyang, North Korea.AP Photo/Jon Chol JinEditor’s note: The following is a roundup of archival stories related to North Korea.
North Korea has launched repeated tests of ballistic missiles, which it claims are now advanced enough to carry a nuclear warhead as far as the United States. Although experts...
Read more: Facing the threat from North Korea: 5 essential reads
Six million people in Pennsylvania and neighboring states get their drinking water from the Susquehanna River. Major pollution sources include agriculture, urban development and industry.Nicholas A. Tonelli, CC BYAmerica’s drinking water infrastructure is aging and in serious need of modernization. Pipes are overdue for replacement, and...
Read more: Is your drinking water safe? Here's how you can find out
Consumers often distrust mission-driven groups that earn profits.
Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock.comHave you ever wondered who collects the clothes you stuff into that donation drop box in your neighborhood? Chances are, you assumed it was a nonprofit, but that box actually may instead belong to a for-profit social venture. If you don’t know...
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.AP Photo/Jacquelyn MartinThere are many indications that human rights and international justice are not priorities for President Donald Trump’s administration.
As Foreign Policy has reported, one of the likely victims of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s reorganization and cuts at the State Department...
Read more: Are State Department cuts a major setback for genocide prevention?
Pilgrims at Lourdes.Nick Thompson, CC BY-NCAmong the millions of travelers heading out for the summer holidays, some are choosing an unlikely destination: a rusted bus on the edge of the Alaskan wilderness.
Fairbanks Bus 142 (aka the “magic bus”) is where the 24-year old Chris McCandless died in 1992. Well-educated and economically...
When President Bill Cllinton officially ended welfare as we knew it, he was flanked by women who had received Aid to Families with Dependent Children.Reuters/Stephen JaffeePresident Donald Trump’s proposed budget would slice US$21.7 billion over a decade, or 13.1 percent, from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) –...
In an emergency, responders' telecommunications could get delayed by overloaded networks.City of Hampton, VirginiaDuring large disasters, like hurricanes, wildfires and terrorist attacks, people want emergency responders to arrive quickly and help people deal with the crisis. In order to do their best, police, medics, firefighters and those who...
Read more: Creating a high-speed internet lane for emergency situations
