Science Counting sheep to fall asleep traces back to at least the 12th century Ellsworth Toohey

language Old English word of the day Rob Beschizza

art Medieval painters gave dogs human faces to symbolize cowardice Popkin

art The Blemmyes: exploring the mythical headless people of medieval lore Popkin

History Got typos? Blame Titivillus, the "medieval demon of typos" Jennifer Sandlin

Science Hear a Medievalist professor answer an array of interesting Medieval questions Popkin

History University offering master's degree in magick and the occult David Pescovitz

worst-of lists Famous Brits pick their most-hated books Mark Frauenfelder

white house Trump White House commemorates 850th anniversary of Christian martyr St. Thomas Becket Thom Dunn

literature Cornell English Department votes to change name to "Department of Literatures In English" Thom Dunn

religion Interview: Dr. Karl E H Seigfried talks Ásatrú, Heathenry and beards Séamus Bellamy

History Hapax legomenon: the classicist's googlewhack Cory Doctorow

books A Beginner's Guide to Immortality: From Alchemy to Avatars Wink

happy mutants It's about Time: Reading Steampunk's Rise and Roots Rachel A. Bowser and Brian Croxall

books On the strengths of fiction done as near-history Guy Gavriel Kay

The best adventure stories for kids from 1965 Joshua Glenn

Dungeons & Dragons The awesome glory that is Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Jason Louv

science fiction Describing the indescribable with Jeff Vandermeer Peter Mendelsund

books Jo Walton's "My Real Children" [book excerpt] Boing Boing