All articles from Works in Progress
How we learned what genes are made of
In the 1940s, scientists made a discovery now fundamental to biology: genes are encoded in DNA. The story involves bacteria, dead mice, and a kitchen cream separator.
Review: Recession by Tyler Goodspeed
How a grasshopper caused the 1873 panic, and why recessions are usually just bad luck.
Inventing the second malaria vaccine with Katharine Collins
Malaria is caused not by a virus or bacterium, but by a complex, shape-shifting parasite that has evolved alongside us for millennia. This has made vaccine development a brutal challenge.
What Samuel Hughes thinks about Washington, DC
In this diary, Samuel Hughes visits Washington, DC, the world’s imperial capital, and reflects on a national style hiding in plain sight.
Modern Hindu Temples
Most ancient architectural traditions have withered, but one is enjoying a golden age: Hindu temple architecture.
Where did all the good sculptors go?
Episode 17 is about carving a new sculpture tradition.