Almanac
Phil Edwards explains the world through its footnotes. Read more below or watch Almanac on Vox’s YouTube channel.
The method to the madness of streets, roads, avenues, boulevards, places, plazas...
It’s possible to undo a twist of fate — if you use a little logic.
So would you do it?
There are 4 theories about why people never smiled in old photos, and they explain a lot about photography and culture.
At age 48, one man invented instant ramen noodles. This is how he did it.
The distinctive handwritten style isn’t handwritten anymore. And it also has a surprising history.
The cyber-struggle was real. Here’s what it felt like, told by a founder.
Olympic race walking: behold the struggle, the mystique, and the wiggle. Here’s why they do what they do.
Junk food can teach you a lot about the world. These are the secrets behind the world’s favorite snacks.
Art history can be a gateway to fruit history.
Where coloring books came from says something about what they are today.
The supersonic Concorde was a breakthrough — so what went wrong?
Happy Father’s Day. Now here’s what you need to know about its secret history and the necktie industry.
People have been having fun with hit summer songs for a lot longer than you’d expect.
This GIF shows the many creative designs that have graced the American flag.
The Coexist logo is about getting along — but it started a legal war.
You know cars are faster than horses. But in the early days of automobiles, carmakers had to wage a fierce PR battle to win.
Jogging, once unusual, surged to “fad” status before becoming the fixture of life it is today.
Heard of Ken M? He may be the internet’s greatest troll — and this is how he does it.
Horned helmets = lie. Here’s how it happened.
One of Sweden’s tastiest traditions says a lot about the country’s culture in general. This is how it works.
Pneumatic tubes have been moving mail, people, and cats for more than a century.
These wacky pranks had some unexpected consequences.
It’s pretty rare to be able to trace a word’s invention back to a single person.
The story is as old as Hollywood itself.
It pops. It locks. But the robot is surprisingly flexible for a mechanical dance.
How does the kiss cam really work? These are some of the people — and the business model — behind the most romantic moment in sports.
The story behind the cultural phenomenon.
This is the R-rated version of the game — featuring the history that kids weren’t allowed to learn.
The massive kill count included 17 lions, 29 zebras, and much, much more.
This is how a former socks salesman pioneered TV. And it all happened in a department store.
Blizzards are always scary. But these five things prove that they were far more terrifying in 1888.
What about the Illuminati is real, and what’s made up? This is the truth about the Illuminati.
Bowie himself once sang, “Time may change me.”
These brave souls sat down to dinner, ate something weird, and saved lives in the process.