TRAPPIST-1 planet illustration

M-Dwarves and the Search for Life

In recent years, astronomers have broadened their search for habitable planets to include previously ignored stars like M-dwarves.
Waco compound in flames

How Religious Literacy Might Have Changed the Waco Tragedy

Religious scholars argue that the Waco raid was not justified and that with more understanding of theology, the loss of life could have been avoided.
Spam emails

Our Spam Emails, Ourselves

More money, more hair, less belly fat, better health: our spam emails expose our worries and weaknesses.
Stanley Fish

Stanley Fish’s Academic Clickbait

The “renegade” scholar Stanley Fish is really a bit dramatic.
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort celebrating his company in the 2013 film, Wolf of Wall Street

Are the Rich More Selfish Than the Rest of Us?

When it comes to selfish behavior, a new study suggests rich and poor are divided more by circumstance than character.
spam emails

Why Can’t We End Spam? Ask An Economist.

Law enforcement recently took out a bot network capable of sending 1.5 billion spam emails a day. So what are the economic incentives—and costs—of spam?
JSTOR Daily Suggested Readings

Suggested Readings: Crucifixion, Distrusting Computers, and Trump Tower

Well-researched stories about the symbolism of the cross, AI you can trust, and the global gig economy.
Illustration: an eleventh century Byzantine depiction of King Solomon

Source: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e4-380c-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

How People Paid Their Taxes in Biblical Times

Think doing your taxes is annoying? Imagine trying it without a computer, a calculator… or even the Arabic numeral system.
uber driver gig economy

Working More for Less: Dangers of the Gig Economy

The "gig economy" benefits startups and tech companies, but it may be unsustainable, and unethical for the economy, and workers, at large.
solar panels

Are Some Solar Panels More Environmentally Friendly Than Others?

A new solar process utilizing nanoparticles has to potential to nearly double the energy output per unit area of solar panels.