Then vs Now: The World You Thought You Knew

Era Vault Press

Then vs Now: The World You Thought You Knew

Latest Articles

Before the Remote, There Was a Rumor: How Americans Once Found Out Who Won the Game
Technology

Before the Remote, There Was a Rumor: How Americans Once Found Out Who Won the Game

A century ago, finding out the World Series score might mean crowding around a saloon window to watch ticker-tape updates scroll by — if you were lucky enough to live near one. From those crackling first radio broadcasts to today's four-screen, real-time, on-demand sports universe, the way Americans connect with their teams has been completely reinvented.
When a Stranger in a Suit Decided Whether You Deserved a Bank Account
Health

When a Stranger in a Suit Decided Whether You Deserved a Bank Account

For most of the 20th century, accessing basic financial services meant convincing a local bank manager you were worthy — face to face, hat in hand. Today, a teenager with a smartphone can open a high-yield savings account in four minutes. The distance between those two realities is almost impossible to overstate.
Six Months of Mud, Disease, and Prayers: What It Actually Took to Cross America Before the Jet Age
Travel

Six Months of Mud, Disease, and Prayers: What It Actually Took to Cross America Before the Jet Age

Before a cross-country flight became something you complain about because the Wi-Fi was spotty, crossing America was one of the most grueling and dangerous undertakings an ordinary person could attempt. The story of how we compressed a six-month ordeal into a six-hour inconvenience is one of the most dramatic transformations in American life.
Before WebMD, There Was Worry and a Worn-Out Encyclopedia: How Americans Once Navigated Their Own Health
Health

Before WebMD, There Was Worry and a Worn-Out Encyclopedia: How Americans Once Navigated Their Own Health

Before you could Google your symptoms at midnight, Americans relied on a patchwork of family wisdom, overworked doctors, and outdated pamphlets to make sense of their health. The shift to instant medical information has been one of the most quietly profound changes in everyday American life — and it came with both remarkable gains and some real losses worth acknowledging.
From Fortune to Pocket Change: The Astonishing Price Drop of Consumer Electronics Over 70 Years
Technology

From Fortune to Pocket Change: The Astonishing Price Drop of Consumer Electronics Over 70 Years

A brand-new color TV in 1954 would set you back the equivalent of a used car today. Early cell phones cost more than a semester of college tuition. Trace the jaw-dropping journey of consumer electronics prices — adjusted for inflation — and you'll never look at your $300 smartphone the same way again.