Archive - Res Obscura

Why did clothing become boring?

An investigation into when, how, and why everyone started dressing the same — and what it was like when they didn't

Dec 4 •

October 2024

June 2024

Centuries of Childhood

The history of childhood is one of multiplicity — so why do we tell parents such simplistic stories about it?

Jun 11 •

May 2024

LLM-based educational games will be a big deal

For the first time, digital games can make qualitative assessments of learning. Here's what that might look like.

May 14 •

April 2024

Why etymologies matter

How tracing words can illuminate history

Apr 30 •

March 2024

"He spoke of computers with some awe"

Margaret Mead, John von Neumann, and the prehistory of AI

Mar 19 •

February 2024

January 2024

I talked to Terry Gross!

A brief update about the publication of "Tripping on Utopia" before we return to regularly scheduled posting

Jan 16 •

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