The Statistics of Coin Tosses for Theater Geeks
At the beginning of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a coin toss lands as heads 92 times in a row, the odds of which are a mere 1 in 5 octillion.
A Resurgence of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon increased sharply in 2016. The government must take steps to protect the world’s largest rain forest.
Our Spam Emails, Ourselves
More money, more hair, less belly fat, better health: our spam emails expose our worries and weaknesses.
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.
The 1917 Immigration Act That Presaged Trump’s Muslim Ban
Prohibitive laws like the 1917 Immigration Act barred many Asians from entering America. Cultural fears still determine who "deserves" to migrate.
How WWI Sparked an Artistic Movement That Transformed Black America
African-American literary works born out of the ashes of World War I went on to spur the bold spirit of resistance of the African-American protest movement.
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.
Mathematics is Beautiful (No, Really)
For many people, memories of maths lessons at school are anything but pretty. Yet “beautiful” is a word ...
The Global Jellyfish Crisis in Perspective
Are the increasing jellyfish blooms in our oceans the result of global temperature changes?