History

Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute.

As accusations of genocide in Gaza mount against Israel, NPR looks at how the term is defined legally and why previously reticent scholars have changed their minds.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks to mathematician Eugenia Cheng about the Pascaline -- a 17th-century invention credited as the first mechanical calculator.

For NPR's Word of the Week: Things are getting spicy. We explain how a word referring to cinnamon and pepper turned less literal by the 19th century.

Historians and citizens who say they are concerned about the Trump administration's pressure on the Smithsonian are working to document exhibits, as they exist today, throughout the museum network.

Thousands of years before Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert got under President Trump's skin, ancient Greek and Roman poets and philosophers paid a heavy price for displeasing heads of state.

A virtual exhibit from the White House Historical Association showcases presidential fashions — and how presidents have used clothes to make a statement.

Twenty years ago, Israel dismantled its settlements and withdrew from the Gaza Strip. Now, Israelis ask if it helped pave the way for the Oct. 7 attack, and some want to resettle there.

A Boston church along the city's Freedom Trail has unveiled a monument to the more than 200 slaves once held by members of the congregation.

1,100 people killed on 9/11 in New York City have not had any of their remains identified by authorities. The medical examiner's office is using new technology to identify more people.