Can Fire Destroy the Amazon?
The massive fires of 2019 have many asking the question: is there a "tipping point" beyond which the Amazon cannot recover?
Climate Change and Syria’s Civil War
Some scholars and scientists are calling climate change the invisible player in Syria's ongoing civil war. But is that too simplistic an explanation?
On the History of the Artificial Womb
Will outside-the-womb gestation, increasingly viable for animal embryos, lead to a feminist utopia? Or to something like Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World?
Why Aren’t Yellow School Buses Green?
There is a new push for electric school buses, which would pollute less. But the electric-powered vehicle is actually a very old technology.
The Conservatism of Conservation
Ecological conservation was originally focused on keeping things the way they were, and in that spirit, was closely connected with political conservatism.
Is Space Too Crowded for NASA?
NASA's retirement of the space shuttle, along with the increase of commercial space firms, have ushered in a second space age. Is NASA still relevant?
A Brief History of Masturbation
In the U.S. and Europe, there's still discomfort around the topic of masturbation. But we’ve come a long way from tying it to mortal sin and insanity.
Google Is Old Enough to Drink
Since its first birthday, in 1999, the celebrated technology company has defined how we allocate our attention.
The Beloved, Bedeviled Banana
The Cavendish banana is currently threatened by a fungal disease. A similar disease all but wiped out its predecessor, the Gros Michel banana.
Richard Prum: How Does Beauty Evolve?
Prum speaks on Darwin’s idea of sexual selection, the importance of arbitrary traits, and why he could never choose a favorite species of bird.