The Unsolved Case of Ötzi the Iceman
Clues have emerged in a very cold case: the Copper Age killing of Ötzi the Iceman. What do we know about this well-preserved mummy?
Scientists Have Always Been Political
Science has always been political, with questions about who pays for research, and who gets to do it, influencing the type of work that gets done.
The Birth of Planned Obsolescence
Before WWII, American businesses began embracing “creative waste”—the idea that throwing things away and buying new ones could fuel a strong economy.
What if We Acknowledged That People Use Drugs Because They’re Fun?
In the modern Western world, drug use fits well into economies that divide our days into disciplined, production-oriented “clock time,” and leisure time.
Whole Body Vibration Isn’t Quite As Crazy As It Sounds
Is whole body vibration the latest weight-loss fad? Or a legitimate medical treatment with potential to help those who can't exercise?
How to Understand the Resurgence of Eugenics
The extreme right wing has brought the discredited idea of eugenics back into the national conversation. Brave New World and Gattaca offer perspective.
Are Your Feelings Getting In the Way Of Your Online Privacy?
Privacy activists have been sounding alarms over the news that ISPs will now be able to sell data on their customers’ web browsing and app usage.
Mathematics is Beautiful (No, Really)
For many people, memories of maths lessons at school are anything but pretty. Yet “beautiful” is a word ...
Will Robots Replace Human Doctors?
What do advances in AI, VR, and robotics mean for doctors? In the case of medicine, perhaps it's better to ask what technology can't do.
Speaking for the Trees
David George Haskell's book The Song of the Trees: Stories From Nature's Great Connectors, explores trees' connections with various communities.