Search
History & Society
Trace how culture, power, and ideas shape societies across time.
What do Remus Lupin, Katniss Evergreen, William Wordsworth, and Usain Bolt all have in common?
The cosmic microwave background offers clues.
Finding out how the Universe grew up was the biggest science goal of JWST. This ultra-early proto-galaxy cluster is one amazing discovery.
Some authors never saw their books score widespread acclaim—or even get published at all.
One hypothesis: "gossip traps."
5mins
How World War II codebreaker Alan Turing invented modern AI.
From quarks and gluons to giant galaxy clusters, everything that exists in our Universe is determined by what is (and isn't) bound together.
Though Sun Tzu’s "The Art of War" is a classic military treatise, its advice applies to all manner of conflict.
Ocean fertilization is extremely controversial, but if done correctly, it just might work.
And her clothing tells an important story, says archeologist Rita Wright.
The acceptance of our cosmic loneliness and the rarity of our planet is a wakeup call.
John Templeton Foundation
5mins
80% of the world was once polygamous. What happened?
You can’t spot a liar just by looking — but psychologists are zeroing in on methods that might actually work.
This collection of learning and development quotes serves as a reminder of the meaning and purpose behind this important work.
From consciousness to nothingness and beyond, these questions still baffle the brightest minds. Will they ever be solved?
Nearly 2000 years ago, Mt. Vesuvius erupted, burying Pompeii but incinerating Herculaneum. The most lethal volcanic phenomenon is at fault.
Is Eliezer Yudkowsky the same false prophet that Paul Ehrlich was?
Changes in the world population are determined by two metrics: the number of babies born, and number of people dying.
Like Mars today, Venus used to be a sci-fi superstar. Recent discoveries could re-ignite our interest in Earth’s “evil twin.”
