1925: John Scopes, an unassuming high school biology teacher and part-time football coach, is found guilty of teaching evolution in schools, in violation of Tennessee law.

Scopes agreed, after some persuading by the American Civil Liberties Union and others, to serve as the guinea pig in an attempt to challenge the law on constitutional grounds.

Famed attorney Clarence Darrow led Scopes’ defense team in what the press quickly dubbed the Monkey Trial. William Jennings Bryan, three-time Democratic nominee for president and a paradoxical blend of progressive conservatism, represented both the...

The Beer Froster is one of those devices that’s pretty easy to review. Given the name, the expectation is that it will get your brewskis very, very cold — around 24 degrees Fahrenheit — and keep them there until you’re ready to drink them. After extensive testing, I can report that it works like a charm.

Yes, there’s that old trick of throwing a six pack in your freezer for 30 minutes to chill it down quickly. But a typical home freezer gets down to zero degrees, and if you leave beer in a freezer for too long, your cans or bottles will crack or explode. And actually, the fastest way to chill a...