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Manhattan ProjectThe Manhattan Project was a top-secret US government program that developed the world’s first atomic weapons. In 1938, scientists in Germany discovered nuclear fission—the splitting of an atom that releases enormous energy. Fearing Nazi Germany might build an atomic bomb, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized advisory committees to study nuclear weapons—efforts that evolved into the Manhattan Project in 1942. The program was overseen by the US Army Corps of Engineers under the direction of General Leslie Groves, with physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer serving as scientific director. Work took place across three primary sites—Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico—where scientists produced the fissile material and designs for the first nuclear weapons. The project culminated in the Trinity test in July 1945, when a plutonium implosion bomb was detonated in the New Mexico desert. The Manhattan Project cost an estimated $27B in today’s dollars and ushered the world into the atomic era, reshaping global warfare, diplomacy, and the balance of power.Explore Manhattan Project

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Spikes in pizza orders near US government buildings are thought to be signs of international crisesTheorists have long believed that sudden increases in pizza deliveries near the Pentagon signal a major event is about to occur. Historical examples include the CIA ordering 21 pizzas the day before the beginning of the Gulf War, and another surge of deliveries before former President Bill Clinton's impeachment hearings. Citizens have since begun monitoring food orders in the area. See a tracker of Pentagon pizza orders here. PizzINT - Pentagon Pizza Index See how the executive branch of the US government worksThe executive branch enforces federal laws and is led by the president, who serves as head of state, commander in chief, and chief diplomat. Supported by the vice president, Cabinet, and around 4 million federal employees, it carries out laws through 15 departments and dozens of agencies. History Channel The US government reportedly hoards 1.4 billion pounds of cheese in cavesIn limestone mines said to be hundreds of feet below the ground, officials have allegedly stored surplus cheese to keep the industry afloat amid ebbs and flows in demand. IFLScience How the US government used photography to fight povertyIn the 1930s, the US was in crisis, and the government turned to photography to win public support. Images of rural poverty stirred empathy, shifting public opinion and helping pave the way for New Deal reforms. 1440 The US government has shut down 22 times since 1976This resource breaks down every federal shutdown since 1976, showing how long each lasted and the budget disputes that caused them—revealing how routine funding failures have become in modern US politics. ThoughtCo The debt ceiling is a legal cap on how much money the US government can borrowSet by Congress, the debt ceiling limits total federal borrowing. This guide explains why the cap was created, how it has evolved, and why raising or suspending it has become a recurring political flash point. TIME The national debt is the total amount the US government owes its creditorsThis US Treasury page explains what the national debt is, how it accumulates from annual deficits, and why rising debt can affect interest costs, fiscal flexibility, and long-term economic stability. Treasury.gov During the Civil War, the US government printed paper money for the first timeThose original paper bills were called “greenbacks” or “demand notes.” Since then, paper money has evolved with different designs, names, and values. Today, it is solely issued by the Bureau of Engraving & Printing. Bureau of Engraving and Printing Nearly 70% of the US government’s debt is domesticThis includes intragovernmental holdings like the Social Security Trust Fund and investments from US citizens, banks, and mutual funds. About 30% is foreign-held, with countries like Japan and China as major creditors, investing in US Treasury securities due to their perceived safety. 1440 If the US government paid off its debt, it could disrupt the entire bond marketTreasury bonds are some of the most common bonds for investors, and the majority of the national debt is in bonds. CNBC The US Government sells two types of savings bonds: EE bonds and I bondsEE bonds have fixed interest rates that the buyer is informed of when they purchase the bond. I bonds, however, earn a rate that can change every six months. A comparative chart details the most significant differences between EE bonds and I bonds. TreasuryDirect A history of every US government shutdownThere have been 21 shutdowns of the federal government in US history, a result of Congress's failure to pass appropriations bills in time. While the cause of most of the shutdowns stems from issues around the national debt and budget, a few originated in fights over unrelated policies. Dive into the history of each one with this comprehensive list. Fox News The US government’s guide to counterterrorismThe International Terrorism Guide Website is a reference resource compiled by the US National Counterterrorism Center. Compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the website features an array of interactive segments focused on international terrorism. The comprehensive site is intended for law enforcement, intelligence, military and security personnel, contingency planners, or citizens concerned about international terrorist threats. Dynamic pages include information on terrorist groups, wanted individuals, terrorism tactics, and a timeline of international events. Use this website to understand counter terrorism in the United States. Office of the Director of National Intelligence UFO sightings taken seriously by the US governmentAs UFOs make a resurgence in public awareness, take a trip back to the early decades of UFO research. This interactive shows the location and descriptions for some of the most fascinating incidents reported to a secretive Air Force team between 1947... HISTORY Thirty famous declassified US government secretsThe list includes docs on Bigfoot, Area 51, and even John Lennon. Stacker How does the US government classify documents?A quick explanation of how US government document classification works, from clearance levels to declassification. The Brookings Institution Global CO2 levels as measured at Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Observatory, managed by the US government’s NOAA.The Global Monitoring Laboratory conducts research on greenhouse gas and carbon cycle feedbacks, changes in clouds, aerosols, and surface radiation, and recovery of stratospheric ozone. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Calibrate to the U.S. government's official clock, synchronized to the atomic standardThe site displays the current time across all American time zones—corrected for network delay—and shows whether your device's clock has drifted. Computer clocks rely on quartz crystals that drift slightly with temperature and age, requiring alignment with atomic clocks (which are so stable that seconds are defined by them). NIST Free speech has often been restricted in wartime, potentially unconstitutionallyFrom the Sedition Act of 1798 to the prosecution of anti-war activists during World War I, the US government repeatedly curtailed speech and dissent during wartime—actions widely criticized and, in some cases, later deemed unconstitutional. Paul Robeson was the Harlem Renaissance's chief renaissance manRobeson played many roles throughout his life: He was an All-American football player who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, earned a law degree while playing in the NFL, starred in numerous films and Broadway shows, and became an outspoken advocate for labor and civil rights. His vocal criticism of US involvement in the Korean War led to his passport being voided and a protracted struggle with the US government. Rutgers University Hamilton founded what many regard as the first commercial bank in the United StatesIn 1784, Alexander Hamilton helped found the Bank of New York, which initially operated without a charter, financed early federal operations, provided what is considered the US government's first loan, and became the first stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Historic Lower Manhattan Food companies usually issue recalls voluntarily and you can be automatically notified about themProtecting yourself from food poisoning means staying on top of food recall announcements. Notices about these from the US government, which you can automatically receive after signing up at this link, note what products have been recalled by food companies. Companies alert the US Food and Drug Administration or the US Department of Agriculture when they issue recalls so the public can stay informed. US Food and Drug Administration Food poisoning investigations have led to more than 1 billion pounds of food recallsPulseNet is the US government’s real-time foodborne illness tracking system for leading causes of food poisoning. There, a network of labs and scientists share DNA sequences for pathogens collected from contaminated food and also from sickened individuals, looking for patterns in the pathogens’ genome sequences that will help them hopefully finger a certain food, warehouse, producer, or restaurant. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foodborne illnesses cost our country an estimated $74.7 billion in 2023A US government estimate puts the cost of all foodborne illness in 2023 at almost $75 billion dollars. In a report published by the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, government analysts detailed how the burden of foodborne illness includes medical costs, but also more hidden costs like lost wages. The analysis also breaks down estimated costs by pathogen. US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service Comic books were used as a form of government propaganda in World War IIThe government recognized that comic books were widely read by servicemen (with nearly half deeming themselves regular readers) and by people around the world, making it a perfect vehicle for its antifascist, pro-American message. In addition, the medium was rather crude, allowing for what historian Paul Hirsch called "incredibly aggressive propaganda." The Library of Congress Donald Trump was impeached a second time for incitement of insurrection after Jan. 6Following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, the House impeached Trump for inciting violence against the US government. The Senate acquitted him on Feb. 13, 2021. He is the only president who has been impeached twice. BBC Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi—some show up in foodAbout a quarter of the world’s agricultural products are contaminated with mycotoxins. Some of these compounds can cause serious health problems, including cancer, so the US government has set up monitoring programs to detect them in our food and in animal feed. Humans can become ill if they eat contaminated food, but also if they ingest products from animals that had previously consumed these toxic compounds, such as milk from a cow that ate contaminated corn. National Library of Medicine A ‘supernote,’ or nearly-perfect counterfeit $100 bill, was recently found in South KoreaThese “supernotes” have even fooled US government officials. North Korea is widely believed to be behind the creation of these counterfeit banknotes. YouTube Consumer spending accounts for 70% of US GDP, making Black Friday significantLizabeth Cohen, a history professor at Harvard and author of the book “A Consumer's Republic: The Politics Of Mass Consumption In Postwar America,” has argued that the US government has presented consumerism as a way out of economic crisis or decline since around World War II. NPR Roughly 22% of US tax dollars go to Social SecuritySocial security is the US government’s largest expense. You can see other government expenses in a visual breakdown of what one US tax dollar actually pays for. Total spending amounts were converted to cents on the dollar and percentages. Visual Capitalist Visually explore the federal government’s evolving role in educationThis photo collection traces the US shift from community and private schooling to federal oversight and ongoing political debates about the Department of Education. Business Insider Roughly $5T of stimulus money flooded the economy during the pandemicRecessions can last anywhere from months to years. To encourage economic growth, governments use policy levers such as lowering interest rates or introducing a stimulus. Economists credit massive stimulus funds for helping the economy quickly recover from a recession during the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York Times Test your ETF knowledge A 10-question quiz from the SEC allows investors to test their basic knowledge about exchange-traded funds and their investing counterparts, mutual funds. Here’s a sample question: Is the past performance of a fund a good indicator of future results? (Hint, the answer is no). US Securities and Exchange Comission Tracking US spending this yearSee an up-to-date accounting of how much money the US federal government has spent this fiscal year. This helpful and interactive webpage from the US Treasury Department gives an expansive overview of how the government has spent its money and how spending trends have evolved over time. US Treasury Fiscal Data Visualize government spending with USAFactsThis resource turns complex federal budget data into clear charts and summaries, letting users explore how much the government spends; where the money goes; and how revenue, deficits, and debt change over time. USAFacts The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 created the modern federal budgetBefore 1921, federal funding was fragmented and ad hoc. This article traces how inefficiency and postwar pressures led Congress to pass the Budget and Accounting Act, creating a standardized, centralized federal budgeting process. Brookings Review Congress's 2025 report on the history of US critical mineral policyFor decades, supply chains for critical minerals have grown increasingly vulnerable due to reliance on imports. In 2022, the US Geological Survey expanded the list of critical minerals to 50 to better reflect growing industrial needs, exacerbating this vulnerability. Congress.gov How is credit reporting regulated in the US?While the three main credit bureaus and the credit scoring companies aren’t government entities, they are subject to certain US government regulations, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act. OCC.gov Are I-Bonds a good investment?I-Bonds are savings bonds issued by the US government that can help protect savings from inflation. While that sounds positive, I-Bonds have a few disadvantages, too—for instance, these bonds have to be held for at least a year before you can cash out. Kiplinger NASA purchased about 60% of all integrated circuits from 1961 to 1965The US government adopted the new technology to support the development of the Apollo Guidance Computer, which would help astronauts fly to the moon. This drove manufacturing up and costs down, setting the stage for the modern computing era. Fast Company Individual income taxes are the federal government's primary revenue source, see a tracker that breaks down where the rest of the budget comes fromThe US government historically makes nearly half of its total revenue last year from individual income taxes. But the US makes also makes money from a variety of other sources, including Medicare taxes and corporate income taxes. However, the federal government has run a deficit since 2001—reaching a peak of $3.13T in 2020. U.S. Department of the Treasury A movie helped make JFK assassination conspiracies widespreadOliver Stone's film "JFK" (1991) imagined the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy as the result of a conspiracy by US government agents. Before the film, this belief was not common, but it became widely adopted afterward. The film's impact contributed to the release of major CIA files in subsequent decades. (Some users may experience a paywall.) The Free Press The national debt is growing at a faster rate than the economy“The federal government faces an unsustainable fiscal future,” according to this bleak 2025 report on the nation’s budget from the US Government Accountability Office. If unaddressed, the country’s debt could double its gross domestic product, warns the nonpartisan agency. For individuals, this may mean stagnant wages, higher borrowing costs, and more expensive goods. US Government Accountability Office The federal government has spent more money annually than it has collected every year since 2022The government borrows money to cover this deficit, which increases the national debt. It’s the fourth most expensive spending category in the US budget. US Department of the Treasury Federal subsidies have boosted US fracking profitsBetween 2000 and 2020, the US government invested tens of billions of dollars to facilitate the extraction of shale oil and gas reserves. These subsidies helped make new projects viable and kept fossil fuel companies afloat while global energy prices and renewable energy startup costs have fallen. SEI When Tesla died in 1943, the FBI seized his property for national securityAlthough Nikola Tesla had become increasingly eccentric in his later years, the US government wanted to ensure plans for a possible secret weapon didn’t fall into enemy hands during World War II. History.com This is the longest the US has gone without a minimum wage increase since 1938The US government hasn’t increased the federal minimum wage in more than a decade. Some people argue it's wrong that Congress needs to debate whether or not to raise the minimum wage—and that perhaps these raises should be tied to inflation. Vox There are three main ways to start investing in the bond marketInvest in the boind market through a brokerage, mutual fund or ETF, or the US government. Each has different steps and terms to follow, from starting rates to opening specific accounts. Some bonds are relatively easy to purchase, but the process differs depending on the type of bond you want. Business Insider 'Birds Aren't Real' parodies the way memes traffic conspiracy theoriesPeter McIndoe claims the US government killed 12 billion birds only to replace them with drones. These statements have powered protests—and McIndoe's fictional campaign that highlights how conspiracies and their theorists are treated. TED The US sent an iconic photographer to document the Japanese-American internmentAfter the attack on Pearl Harbor, 120,000 Japanese-Americans were removed from their homes and businesses and sent to internment camps across the American West and Arkansas. This nearly 15-minute video explores how the US government sent famed photographer Dorothea Lange to document the transfer and internment, only to restrict or impound many of her photos when they seemed less than positive. Vox

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