Caning of Sumner | Life & News

Thursday, July 30, 2026

In John Magee’s print, Preston Brooks wields a cane against Charles Sumner, who is clutching a pen and a rolled-up speech. John L. Magee, The New York Public Library

culture

When a congressman beat a senator unconscious, America confronted the limits...

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Paul Quigley, Virginia Tech On May 22, 1856, Preston Brooks strode into the United States Senate chamber and beat...

EXPLORING NATURE

Life went on in the late 18th century, regardless of your everyday ailments. Archive Photos/Getty Images

culture

How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776?...

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Katherine Ott, Smithsonian Institution Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys,...

People are often concerned about environmental risks lurking near their homes. Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Research about global fishing shows value of detailed environmental data, which...

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Leaving the pyrotechnics to the professionals is safer and more spectacular. YinYang/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Fireworks, heat and drought make this July 4th a recipe for wildfires

June 30, 2026

Rescue workers carry a person on a stretcher in Caracas following an earthquake in Venezuela on June 24, 2026. Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images

Aid is on the way after Venezuela’s earthquakes, but it’s not...

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A June 24, 2026, earthquake shook buildings to the ground, trapping and killing people in Caracas, Venezuela, and nearby communities. Manaure Quintero/AFP via Getty Images

Venezuela’s deadly earthquakes happened on a fault similar to the San...

June 26, 2026