POLITICS

Front row, left to right: Stephen G. Breyer, Clarence Thomas, (Chief Justice) John G. Roberts, Jr., Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Samuel A. Alito. Back row: Neil M. Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett M. Kavanaugh.

Why Does the Supreme Court Have Nine Justices?

The Constitution never specified a number of Supreme Court justices, and it’s fluctuated quite a lot over the years.

How Lolita Author Vladimir Nabokov Helped Ruth Bader Ginsburg Find Her Voice

Before Vladimir Nabokov gained fame for ‘Lolita,’ he helped hone the writing skills of a future Supreme Court icon.

Schlesinger Library, RIAS, Harvard University // No Known Copyright Restrictions

Alice Dunnigan, the First Black Woman Journalist to Get White House Press Credentials

Alice Dunnigan overcame racism, sexism, and other obstacles to make history as the first Black woman credentialed to cover the White House.

How to Vote in Person Safely During the Coronavirus Pandemic

How safe is voting in person at your local polling place this Election Day? About as safe as running an errand to the grocery store.

Jeremy Strong and Sacha Baron Cohen in The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020).

10 Fascinating Facts About the Chicago Seven

The 1968 Democratic National Convention was marred by protests and five days and nights of violent confrontations between police and protestors. Though many people were arrested, none were as infamous as the Chicago Seven.

The flag for the United States Space Force.

7 Facts About the United States Space Force

On December 20, 2019, Donald Trump signed the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, creating a sixth branch of the U.S. military: The United States Space Force.

Iberia Airlines, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

The Story Behind Eva Perón’s Secret Lobotomy

At the end of her life, Eva Perón was suffering from painful cancer and displaying erratic behavior, and her lobotomy may have been a way to treat both problems.

Just a couple of Subway employees making dessert.

Ireland's Supreme Court Rules That Subway's Bread Is Too Sugary to Be Called 'Bread'

While certain Subway bread types are healthier than others, the sugar content pushes them all toward the “dessert” end of the spectrum.

13 Burning Mail-In Ballot Questions, Answered

From important deadlines to common mistakes, here's what you need to know to make sure your vote gets counted in 2020.

Samuel L. Jackson Wants to Teach You to Swear in 15 Different Languages

If 2500 people use the voter registration tools on Samuel L. Jackson's HeadCount page, the actor will teach you how to swear in 15 different languages.

Pizza to the Polls Lets You Donate (or Request) a Pizza Delivery to a Polling Place This Election Season

Since 2016, Pizza to the Polls has provided thousands of pizzas to voters waiting in line at their local polling place.

Absentee Ballot vs. Mail-In Ballot: What’s the Difference?

States are changing their vote-by-mail rules for this year’s general election. Here's what you need to know.

Can you tell that this is real bear fur?

The Queen’s Guard May Have to Give Up Their Iconic Bearskin Hats

The 1.5-foot hats famously worn by the Buckingham Palace guards date back to the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Kim Jong-Il, Choi Eun-hie, and Shin Sang-ok in a scene from Ross Adam and Robert Cannan's The Lovers & the Despot (2016).

Take Two: When Kim Jong-il Raised North Korea's World Cinema Profile By Kidnapping Two South Korean Stars

Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was once in charge of propaganda films for his country, and he decided to recruit some A-list talent the easy way: by abducting them.

What does it mean when a politician approves of a message in a campaign commercial?

Why Do Politicians Need to Say 'I Approve This Message' in Their Ads?

Anyone running for federal office is required to endorse their own television ads. While it's supposed to make their political statements more honest, it might be having the opposite effect.

Warren G. Harding looking dapper in June 1920.

The Grandson of Warren G. Harding's Mistress Wants to Prove His Presidential Lineage—By Exhuming Harding's Body

For the record, other DNA tests have already proven that Warren G. Harding’s grandson is, in fact, Warren G. Harding’s grandson.

Voting by mail isn't the type of task you can procrastinate.

How—and When—to Vote by Mail in Each State

Many states are letting residents vote by mail in this November’s presidential election—here’s how to do it.

An 1864 illustration by William Waud of Union soldiers voting in Pennsylvania.

The Civil War Beginnings of America’s Absentee Ballots

Abraham Lincoln was up for reelection in 1864, and Republicans thought soldiers’ absentee ballots could help.

Alfred Nobel on the front of the Nobel Peace Prize medal.

How Does the Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Process Work?

Only certain people can submit nominations, and the Nobel Committee isn’t allowed to reveal nominees or nominators until 50 years later.

Uphold democracy and maybe make a few hundred dollars, too.

There's a Shortage of Poll Workers in 2020. Here's How You Can Become One

Election Day 2020 is less than two months away, and you can help things run smoothly (and probably get paid for it).

Old Navy is encouraging employees to lend a hand on Election Day.

Old Navy Will Pay Its Employees to Work the Polls in November

Old Navy is motivating its more than 50,000 employees to come out in force for Election Day on November 3.

The cover of the English edition of the book.

Zabiba and the King: The 2000 Romance Novel ... Written by Saddam Hussein

It’s literally about a mighty king’s love affair with a commoner, but it’s figuratively about Operation Desert Storm.

Sorghaghtani Beki, Genghis Khan's daughter-in-law, was a powerful ruler.

When Mongol Queens Ruled the Silk Road

The daughters of Genghis Khan ruled nations that controlled the Silk Road, the favored route for trading spices, cloth, pottery, and other goods between China, India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

Buckling up was once a political statement.

When a Radio Host Led an Uprising Against Massachusetts’s Seat Belt Law

“We are smart enough to buckle up without police, tickets, and Big Brother,” Jerry Williams said. But were they?

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