As graduation season kicks off in the United States — for example, on Wednesday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will be a commencement speaker at Bethune-Cookman University, and Friday will see commencement appearances by Will Ferrell at the University of Southern California and Sheryl Sandberg at Virginia Tech — many students will don a cap and gown for the rite of passage. Fewer, it is likely, will know why wearing a robe and an unusual hat is a symbol of having finished school.

To celebrate Variety’s 115th anniversary, we went to the archives to see how some of Hollywood’s biggest stars first landed in the pages of our magazine. Read more from the archives here.

It's almost Christmas! You don't need to break the bank to decorate your house. What better way to enjoy the celebration season without making your immediate environment look like it. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7scHLrJxnppdkuaqyxKyrsqSVZLOwu8Nmq6uZppq5cK%2FHq6CsrJ2WwG6wyLJknZ2TpL%2BiwMiopWahlJqutHnFqKlmoJ%2BisrR7lLCepqOVrg%3D%3D

There is an old, deeply rooted story about America that goes something like this: Columbus stumbles upon a strange continent and brings back stories of untold riches. The European empires rush over, eager to stake out as much of this astonishing New World as possible. Even as they clash, they ignite an era of colonial expansion that lasts roughly four centuries, from the conquest of Hispaniola in 1492 to the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890.

Cement—the essential binding ingredient in concrete, bricks, and mortar—is a climate nightmare. To make it, you heat limestone and clay to extremely high temperatures using carbon-polluting fossil fuels. That triggers a chemical process, which also releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The process is so carbon-intensive and cement is so widely-used that it accounts for around 8% of global CO2 emissions. With the world’s building stock projected to double by 2060, climate advocates are desperate for alternative materials to come to market—fast.