2023 Holocaust Remembrance Day
Holocaust Remembrance Day is April 18, 2023. The purpose of this day is for citizens to honor Jews and other victims murdered by the Nazis in the Holocaust genocide during World War II. Below, btw looks more closely at why it is important to remember the Holocaust and the day’s historical origins, its traditions, and […]
Eli Lilly Lowers Cost of Insulin to $35 Monthly
In January 1922, 14-year-old Leonard Thompson lay dying in a Canadian hospital. Thompson had diabetes and his body did not produce insulin. For thousands of years, there was no medicine for diabetes. Adults or children in Thompson’s condition would live for only weeks, months, or maybe a few years. Then, a Canadian surgeon named Frederick […]
New Discoveries at Pompeii and Preservation Efforts
The ancient Italian city of Pompeii was buried under volcanic ash when nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in the year 79 C.E. Since then, the city has sparked the imagination of people worldwide. Generations of archaeologists continue to make discoveries that reveal new clues about what life was like in the city. Today, while the digging, or […]
Real-life “Rosie the Riveters” Honored for Wartime Contributions
After more than 80 years, Rosie the Riveter and her “We Can Do It!” slogan remains an inspirational symbol for many. A riveter is someone whose job is to fasten things using rivets, or metal pins. This type of job is common in shipbuilding–a critical industry during the United States’ World War II mobilization. The […]
Women’s History Month: Celebrating American Quilters
Quilting is an art form that involves sewing together different pieces of fabric to create patterns. Throughout American history, women have used quilting to support political and social causes while helping to heal the nation during times of crises. Women quilters have communicated their views in their quilted pieces, even when they did not have […]
ICARDA Helps Farmers Worldwide Keep Crops Growing
Wheat farmers in the United States can have their entire crop wiped out by a pest. In Morocco, drought conditions have made growing food difficult. Extreme weather in Ethiopia has resulted in challenges meeting the food demands of the country’s population. The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, or ICARDA for short, […]
Women’s History Month: Carol Moseley Braun
Have you ever heard of Carol Moseley Braun? She served as a U.S. senator from 1993 to 1999. Braun was the first female African American elected to the U.S. Senate. Here, btw takes a closer look at her life and contributions to American politics and beyond. Early Life Carol Moseley Braun was born in Chicago, […]
YOU DECIDE: Is It Necessary to Raise the Retirement Age?
Nikki Haley is campaigning to win the Republican Party presidential nomination. She recently proposed raising the age when Americans can collect Social Security retirement benefits. The idea of making people wait longer to receive money after their working career ends is controversial. Haley believes this change is necessary in order to save Social Security. Social […]
“Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” Makes History at the Oscars
The Academy Awards, or Oscars, are yearly awards for artistic and technical merit in the film industry. This year, the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once had a historic night at the 2023 Oscars. The film is about a middle-aged Chinese American woman and her family travelling the multiverse—a series of different fictional universes where […]
Women’s History Month: A Women’s Suffrage Memorial on the National Mall
In 1920, Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which granted white women the right to vote in the United States. The journey to get there was long and difficult–and often unrecognized. But that’s about to change, as Congress begins the process of creating a monument honoring women’s suffrage, or the right to vote, on […]