Since the 2008 crisis, the U.S. Department of Defense has been funding research that studies the dynamics of civil unrest; some planes have what is called a “corpse cupboard” to store dead passengers; and it turns out that the first person to use an umbrella in England was publicly shame for his audacious attempt to stay dry. These discoveries and more below.

How the Pentagon Became Walmart

Our armed services have become the one-stop shop for America’s policymakers. But asking warriors to do everything poses great dangers for our country — and the military.

The Secrets of the Wood Wide Web

In London’s Epping Forest, a scientist named Merlin eavesdrops on trees’ underground conversations.

Trickle-up Healthcare

We’re all familiar with the usual indictment of the U.S. healthcare system: we pay much more and we get much less.

Top Court Gives Israel’s National Library Possession of Disputed Franz Kafka Papers

In final twist of long-running dispute, court rejects appeal of heirs of writer Max Brod, Kafka’s friend and biographer, that the estate belongs to them.

Israel lobby panics about ‘spoiled’ next generation of American leaders turning against it

The New York Times recently reported a shocking statement from the former University of California chancellor on the importance of stopping the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS) on campus because it threatens to poison the next generation of American leaders against the special relationship between the United States and Israel.

Teen Gamers Do Better at Math Than Social Media Stars, Study Says

Video games’ bad reputation may be unfair. Teens who were regular gamers scored higher than average in math, reading and science on an international exam, a new study found.

Pentagon Preparing For Mass Civil Breakdown

Social science is being militarized to develop ‘operational tools’ to target peaceful activists and protest movements.

Fail-Safe Nuclear Power

Cheaper and cleaner nuclear plants could finally become reality—but not in the United States, where the technology was invented more than 50 years ago.

The Masses – Not Netanyahu – Are the Real Censors of Israel’s Free Press

If Israeli media is leftist, why are they only lashing out at Haaretz? The answer is that it’s not, it serves the occupation.

The Public Shaming of England’s First Umbrella User

This pioneer of weather management was pelted with insults and trash.

Beware the ‘Corpse Cupboard’: What Happens When You Die on an Airplane

People who die on airplanes aren’t dead. Not legally, anyway.

So, a Few Concerns About China’s Traffic-Slaying ‘Straddling Bus’

Well blow us down: Those scrappy engineers did it.