Biographies
Hunter Biden
The sole surviving son of Pres. Joe Biden has held an array of positions at law firms, financial institutions, and lobbying firms that have raised questions about whether he has profited from his father’s position.
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Jina Mahsa Amini
Her death while in custody of Iran's "morality police" sparked outrage, inspiring mass protests against the country's strict social order.
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Editor's Picks
Philosophers to Know, Part I
Five of the most important thinkers in the history of Western philosophy.
Rod Serling
Rod Serling, American writer and producer of television dramas and screenplays who was perhaps best known for his work on the series The Twilight Zone (1959–64). Serling served in the U.S. Army during World War II and began writing scripts for Cincinnati radio and television stations while a
The legacy of iconic singer Miriam Makeba and her art of activism
In commemorating what would have been South Africa’s world famous singer and activist Miriam Makeba’s 90th birthday, it is fitting to pay tribute to her legacy of activism not only as a black African woman often living in exile in a western society but also as an artist who used her craft to teach and conscientise the world about Africa.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist, considered the greatest German literary figure of the modern era. Goethe is the only German literary figure whose range and international standing equal those of
Narayana Guru
Narayana Guru, Indian social reformer, poet, and Hindu sage who led a movement against the Hindu caste system. Guru believed that all people are equal and thus belong to just one caste, the caste of humankind. He expressed this idea in his famous saying, “One caste, one religion, one god for
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan, American singer whose incredible vocal range and dynamic stage presence helped make her the “Queen of Funk.” She has sold some 70 million records, backed by such hits as “I Feel for You” and “Through the Fire” (both 1984). Yvette Stevens is the eldest of five children born to Sandra
Clara Bow
Clara Bow, American motion-picture actress called the “It” Girl after she played in It (1927), the popular silent-film version of Elinor Glyn’s novel of that name. She personified the vivacious, emancipated flapper of the 1920s. From 1927 to 1930 she was one of the top five Hollywood box-office
Philosophers to Know, Part II
Five of the most important thinkers in the history of Western philosophy.
Spotlight: Galileo
He revolutionized our understanding of the universe, making fundamental contributions to astronomy, mathematics, physics, and the scientific method itself. But he was persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church for his discoveries, and lived the last nine years of his life under house arrest.
Quizzes
I Am the Greatest (Athlete)
Think you know a lot about famous athletes? This quiz might get your GOAT.
Name that Painter!
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First Ladies of the United States Quiz
They have been hostesses, helpers, advisers, gatekeepers, guardians, confidantes, and sometimes formidable powers behind the scenes. How much do you know about the first ladies of the United States?
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Comedians
George Carlin
George Carlin, American comedian whose “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television” routine led to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the right to determine when to censor radio and TV broadcasts. Carlin began working in the late 1950s as a
Carol Burnett
Carol Burnett, American comedian and actress who starred in a long-running eponymous television variety show in the 1960s and ’70s. As a young girl growing up during the Great Depression, Burnett spent many hours in movie theatres, developing a love for motion pictures and a desire to act. She
Cantinflas
Cantinflas, one of the most popular entertainers in the history of Latin-American cinema. An internationally known clown, acrobat, musician, bullfighter, and satirist, he was identified with the comic figure of a poor Mexican slum dweller, a pelado, who wears trousers held up with a rope, a
Dawn French
Dawn French, Welsh actress and writer who was best known for her work on television comedy series, most notably French and Saunders, which she created with Jennifer Saunders. French met Saunders in the late 1970s, when they were students at London’s Central School of Speech and Drama. There the two
Astronomers
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler, German astronomer who discovered three major laws of planetary motion, conventionally designated as follows: (1) the planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus; (2) the time necessary to traverse any arc of a planetary orbit is proportional to the area of the
Henrietta Swan Leavitt
Henrietta Swan Leavitt, American astronomer known for her discovery of the relationship between period and luminosity in Cepheid variables, pulsating stars that vary regularly in brightness in periods ranging from a few days to several months. Leavitt attended Oberlin College for two years
Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan, American astronomer and science writer. A popular and influential figure in the United States, he was controversial in scientific, political, and religious circles for his views on extraterrestrial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and religion. (Read Carl Sagan’s Britannica entry on
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish astronomer who proposed that the planets have the Sun as the fixed point to which their motions are to be referred; that Earth is a planet which, besides orbiting the Sun annually, also turns once daily on its own axis; and that very slow long-term changes in the
Cricket Legends
Tendulkar, Sachin
Sachin Tendulkar, Indian professional cricket player, considered by many to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time. In 2012 he became the first cricketer to score 100 centuries (100 runs in a single innings) in international play. Tendulkar was given his first bat when he was 11 years of age.
Don Bradman
Don Bradman, Australian cricketer, one of the greatest run scorers in the history of the game and often judged the greatest player of the 20th century. In Test (international) matches Bradman scored 6,996 runs for Australia and set a record with his average of 99.94 runs per contest. He scored 19
Viv Richards
Viv Richards, West Indian cricketer, arguably the finest batsman of his generation. The son of Malcolm Richards, Antigua’s leading fast bowler, Viv Richards followed in a family tradition that included two brothers who also played cricket for Antigua. Richards began his Test (international) match
Shane Warne
Shane Warne, Australian cricketer who was one of the most effective bowlers in history, with good disguise on his top-spinner and fine control on two or three different googlies (balls bowled with fingerspin that break unexpectedly in the opposite direction from that anticipated). His success