LAW

George Rappleyea and John Scopes (left) instigated the trial in Dayton, Tennessee, where Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan (right) battled over Darwin’s theory of evolution.

10 Surprising Facts About the Scopes Monkey Trial

How a 24-year-old Tennessee teacher, a Bible-thumping prosecutor, and a chimpanzee found themselves at the center of the nation’s most contentious trial a century ago.

The seal of Anthony Comstock’s New York Society for the Suppression of Vice.

The Moral Policeman: Anthony Comstock’s War on Sex in 1800s New York

Anthony Comstock would stop at nothing to rid the world of explicit photos, birth control, and anything else he deemed a threat to morals.

Why Do Gas Stations Charge for Air?

Air is a free resource—unless you need it for your tires.

Standing in solidarity helps create real change around the world.

How To Stay Safe During a Protest

Preparedness matters before attending a demonstration. Here’s everything you need to know about how to stay safe during a protest, from what to bring to what your rights are, and more.

Who Has Jurisdiction for Crimes Committed in Space?

With privatized space travel growing, it's inevitable we'll one day find ourselves faced with a space murder. How would the law deal with it?

15 Times That Animals or Inanimate Objects Went to Court

For centuries, an inanimate object or animal could be held responsible—and punished!—for committing a crime.

When life gives you lemons, return to the dealership.

Why Do We Call Defective Cars “Lemons”?

Cars aren’t a piece of fruit, so how did they come to be associated with lemons? Discover how this slang term got adopted in the automotive world and what it really means.

This scene probably wouldn’t be enough to claim ownership of the moon in space court.

Does Anyone Own the Moon?

The question of who has a claim to the moon and its resources is less a speculative fiction subject and more one for lawyers. Specifically, space lawyers.

Consider arriving at the airport earlier if you don‘t have a REAL ID.

Missed the REAL ID Deadline? Here’s What You Need to Know to Fly Without One

Starting Wednesday, May 7, standard IDs will make going through airport security a bigger hassle. The TSA recommends getting to the airport earlier than usual to ensure you board your flight on time.

The Alien Act was enacted by John Adams’s Federalist administration in preparation for a war that didn’t actually happen.

11 Fundamental Facts About the Alien and Sedition Acts

Three of the four acts expired shortly after they were signed into law in the late 1700s. One remains active—and it’s been at the center of constitutional debates ever since.

Harvey Washington Wiley (back row, second from left) and the young volunteers of the Poison Squad.

The Men Who Volunteered to Be Poisoned by the Government

In 1902, 12 men agreed to take low doses of poison in order to test their efficacy as food preservatives. No one died. Basically.

If you didn't know they had them before, now you do.

Why Does Bottled Water Have an Expiration Date?

Bottled water might seem like it lasts forever, but containers have expiration dates attached. Discover why and whether it’s safe to drink after it’s expired.

Bottles are easy to recycle, but things get a little more confusing beyond that.

You Probably Aren’t Recycling These 3 Things Correctly—Here’s What To Do Instead

Recycling gets confusing sometimes, especially when it comes to certain items. Discover which recycling rules you may (or may not) be breaking here, plus the best practices to follow instead.

8 Gripping Facts About the Vietnam War Draft

Dive into the history of the draft during the Vietnam War, including its origins, how long it lasted, and how some young Boomers successfully managed to dodge it.

Tomatoes can be either fruit or vegetable, depending on who you talk to.

Is a Tomato a Fruit?

One vendor’s dispute against a 19th-century import tariff led the U.S. Supreme Court to classify the tomato as a vegetable. But botanists disagree.

Abbie Hoffman was a controversial and influential figure.

10 Revolutionary Facts About Abbie Hoffman

Abbot “Abbie” Howard Hoffman was a bombastic and theatrical figure who often used absurd media stunts to get his points across.

Why Are There 9 Supreme Court Justices?

The U.S. Constitution doesn't specify how many Supreme Court justices are necessary—and there weren’t always nine on the bench.

The ACLU regularly argues cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

9 Fundamental Facts About the ACLU

The group was founded during World War I to defend Americans’ First Amendment freedoms. Over the years, that mission has taken some unexpected turns.

The typo in question concerned property rights.

Error in Judgment: The 100-Year-Old Supreme Court Typo That May Have Altered Judicial Decisions

The typo in a 1928 opinion may have inadvertently influenced an unknown number of decisions to follow.

8 Things Women Used to Be Banned From Doing

Women were once exempt from serving on juries for fear they might take it too easy on defendants.

The spelling is a bit peculiar at times, too.

21 Things You May Not Know About the U.S. Constitution

How well do you really know the U.S. Constitution? Discover things you might not have realized about this influential document, like its dictator-friendly loophole.

The gray wolf is an endangered species in most of the U.S.

The 10 Best States for Wildlife Protection

Where does your state rank when it comes to wildlife conservation?

The District of Columbia comes out on top.

The Best and Worst States for Workplace Culture, Mapped

Midwestern and northeastern states were most likely to have positive workplace cultures.

Nelson Mandela, Jerry Springer, and John Cleese have at least one thing in common.

30 Famous People With Law Degrees

You might be surprised at what Fidel Castro, Francis Scott Key, and Henri Matisse have in common.