The Olympics, Dave Eggers, and Your Idiot Brain
Our Friday Reads are these five new books out this week, and links to related content you won’t find anywhere else.
The Debate Over Eid
Muslims seem to celebrate a holiday called Eid over and over, and at different times. Here's why.
The Delicious Origins of the Domesticated Blueberry
Frederick Coville and Elizabeth White, two strangers, domesticated the blueberry together. They valued beauty and worked to support local communities.
Great Grains: How Ancient Einkorn Became the New “It” Wheat
Einkorn, an ancient grain, is mediocre for baking, difficult to process, and unproductive in the field. Why is it the next food trend?
The Star-Studded Life of Ms. Dorothy Bennett
The wacky life story of the astronomer, author, children's book publisher, and anthropologist who restored an old barge on the Gowanus Canal in 1937.
Red Light, Green Light: When Were Traffic Lights Invented?
New apps like EnLighten are trying to help drivers make navigate traffic lights safely with a little help from vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology.
What Causes an Epidemic of Heroin Deaths?
Research suggests that certain things such as alcohol and the potency of the dose increase the rate at which users die from heroin use.
The Sweet Spot: New Study Shows Optimal Group Size for Baboons
A new study on the Amboseli baboons of East Africa shows that there is a “sweet spot,” or optimal group size for surviving predators and gathering food.
Dear Paleoanthropology, Homo Naledi Just Shifted Your Paradigm
A new fossil human ancestor has made its way into the media spotlight, and it’s causing quite a ruckus.
Reopening The X-Files: Is ESP Possible?
"Here I am again, Scully, up late pursuing this obsession with ESP." "It's a fraud, Mulder."