When the federal government began bringing the windswept barrier islands of eastern North Carolina under protected parkland, a quiet property deal near Pamlico Sound helped bring the story of a once-thriving coastal community to an end. In 1967, Henry Pigott agreed to sell his property on Portsmouth Island to help create Cape Lookout National Seashore….

Hidden among the gleaming skyscrapers of Tokyo’s busy Nihonbashi district is a tiny Shinto shrine where prayers have taken on an unusual modern meaning. Instead of asking for good health, academic success or prosperity, thousands of music lovers visit Fukutoku Shrine hoping to secure something that has become incredibly difficult to obtain in Japan: concert…

Shame is one of the oldest tools for keeping people quiet. Make someone feel embarrassed enough about who they are, and you can often stop them from speaking up or standing their ground. Melinda French Gates, a philanthropist who has spent years working on women’s health around the world, points to one place she believes…