Imagine mounting a scaffold in the atrium of a historic Roman estate. You spy a small trap door in the vaulted ceiling; on inspection the hatch opens into a cavity between the new ceiling and an older one. In the older ceiling is a second trap door …
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It’s Springtime on Polaris-9b, and the Exoflowers Are Blooming
Imagine setting out for a springtime stroll. Not here on Earth but on some distant planet — call it Novathis-458b — orbiting a distant star. Even light-years from home, you recognize some familiar pleasures: The sun (albeit a different sun) is …
Astronomers Detect a Possible Signature of Life on a Distant Planet
Further studies are needed to determine whether K2-18b, which orbits a star 120 light-years away, is inhabited, or even habitable.
How to Evade Taxes in Ancient Rome? A 1,900-Year-Old Papyrus Offers a Guide.
It may not have been the tax-evasion trial of the century — the second century, that is — but it was of such gravity that the defendants faced charges of forgery, fiscal fraud and the sham sale of slaves. Tax dodging is as old as taxation itself, but …
An Engrossing Biography Resurrects an Evangelist Shrouded in Scandal
In “Sister, Sinner,” Claire Hoffman tells the stranger-than-fiction story of Aimee Semple McPherson, whose mysterious life made headlines in the 1920s.
At a Murder Mystery Party, the (Pretend) Killer Ends Up (Actually) Dead
Louise Hegarty’s novel, “Fair Play,” nods to classic 1920s detective fiction, with a twist.
The Marriage, and Ménage à Trois, That Changed Art History
“Gabriële” considers a writer and pivotal figure of the 20th-century avant-garde who nurtured the talents of others.
Peeking Into Joan Didion’s Years of Psychological Thinking
Drawn from her previously unpublished reflections on sessions with a therapist, “Notes to John” is at once slightly sordid and utterly fascinating.
Stories That Show How Modern Liberals Have Lost Their Way
In a new collection, Lydia Millet casts a satirical eye on left-wing culture and its array of character types.
An Acadia-to-Zion Guide to Visiting National Parks in an Uncertain Summer
Sign up for the Travel Dispatch newsletter. Essential news on the changing travel landscape, expert tips and inspiration for your future trips. Get it sent to your inbox.Firings, resignations and delays in seasonal hiring have clouded the coming …