Orchids and Dreamworlds

How Orchids Inspired Darwin

Rowan Hooper | Literary Hub | 20th August 2026

Charles Darwin was fascinated by orchids, an obsession he inherited from his grandfather Erasmus, who felt a “borderline sexual love” for them. When sent an orchid with a flower tube about 30 cm long, he predicted the existence of a moth with a tongue that long. Twenty years after his death, such a moth was discovered in Madagascar and given the species name praedicta in his honour (3,100 words)

Puzzle: Play Nomido, the Browser’s daily word game.

Department Stores Into Dreamworlds

Nozomi Naoi | MIT Press Reader | 20th August 2026

Potted history of the Japanese department store. The store chain Mitsukoshi started off as a kimono fabric store for wealthy patrons in 1673 in Edo. Other well-known chains have equally hoary pasts. Takashimaya originally served imperial family members; Matsuzakaya sold religious robes for Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, while Daimaru catered to the less privileged masses (1,500 words)