How different was the world? More than you think.
In 1970, a single income was enough to buy a home, raise a family, and still take a summer vacation. Today, two salaries, a side hustle, and years of scrimping might barely cover a down payment. Here's how dramatically the math changed — and why.
Mar 13, 2026
Driving across America in 1955 meant paper maps, unmarked roads, and absolutely no guarantee you'd find a gas station before dark. Today's road trip is a different animal entirely — guided by satellites, cushioned by apps, and almost impossible to get truly lost on. But something changed along the way.
Mar 13, 2026
For most of American history, you could walk into a pharmacy and buy heroin for a headache, cocaine for a toothache, or arsenic as a general tonic — no prescription required. The system that regulates your medicine cabinet today is far newer than most people realize, and the road to get here was stranger than you'd expect.
Mar 13, 2026