Tim Brinkhof

Joined: Jul 19, 2023

Tim Brinkhof is a Dutch journalist based in the U.S. who has written about art and history for Vox, Vulture, Esquire, Big Think, and more.

The Zavaritskii Caldera on Simushir Island, the site of a climate-altering 1831 volcanic eruption, as seen from the International Space Station.

Solved: The 200-Old Mystery Behind a Colossal Volcanic Eruption

“Treat” is probably one of the more popular buttons.

Do Those Dog “Talking” Buttons Really Work?

In Outer Space, Where Does a Compass Point?

All of these Dubliners are judging your accent.

People in the Northern UK and Ireland Can Flag Your Fake Accent

The Surprisingly Lewd Origins of the “Rub-a-Dub-Dub” Nursery Rhyme

The popular nursery rhyme may have emerged in the 14th century—and it didn’t have anything to do with bathing.

A statue of Robert Smalls will soon be a part of the South Carolina Capitol grounds.

Robert Smalls, Civil War Hero Who Escaped Enslavement, Is Getting a Statue in South Carolina

The ship’s pilot helped his family reach freedom, then served in the Civil War and in the U.S. Congress. Robert Smalls’s statue will be the first to honor an individual Black citizen on South Carolina State House grounds.

Maximize your PTO so you can catch up on your reading.

How to Maximize Your Vacation Days in 2025

Americans get an average of only 11 vacation days per year. Use them wisely.

Three human-like figures and a large pig are drawn on a limestone cave wall.

A 51,200-Year-Old Cave Painting Might Be the World’s Oldest Narrative Art

The drawing of three human figures with a pig was discovered in an Indonesian cave—and might be the world’s oldest art that tells a story.

DNA Identifies Medieval Man Thrown Down a Well, Confirming a Norse Saga’s Tale

According to a medieval saga, the Norwegian “Well Man” might have been used as a biological weapon.

Giant sequoias are Earth’s most massive trees.

A Forest of Giant Sequoias Is Growing in Detroit

A local organization is aiming to fill Detroit’s vacant land with gigantic forests.

The National World War I Museum and Memorial is set to unveil its century-old time capsule.

The National WWI Museum Is About to Open Its 100-Year-Old Time Capsule

Reportedly, it doesn’t contain 1920s fashions or jazz records.

No apples were harmed in the popularizing of this phrase.

Where Does the Phrase ‘How Do You Like Them Apples’ Come From?

The phrase made famous by ‘Good Will Hunting’ is much older than the 1997 film—and doesn’t have anything to do with actual apples.

A coronal mass ejection shoots out from the sun.

“Severe” Solar Storm Might Bring Northern Lights to the Deep South

Scientists just observed a powerful solar storm that could carry the northern lights over the lower 48 in the near future.

The signed archetype of the U.S. Constitution now up for auction.

Ultra-Rare Copy of the U.S. Constitution, Found in a Filing Cabinet, Heads to Auction

Bidding on the signed Constitution copy starts at $1 million—but it will likely sell for much, much more.

Built in 1843, the schooner ‘Home’ is one of the oldest shipwrecks discovered in Wisconsin.

It Just Got Easier to Dive to Shipwrecks in Lake Michigan

Thanks to a new buoy network, scuba divers and snorkelers can explore some of the historic wrecks—while protecting our maritime heritage—in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

The World's Most Expensive Coffee Costs $284 Per Ounce

Prepare to shell out for a cup of Elida Geisha Natural Torre.