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Cultural Anthropology
Perhaps it’s not just an oddly shaped hill, after all.
The clash of academic archaeology and what might be called folk archaeology comes into stark focus at Stonehenge.
Destruction of the Ukrainian dam unleashed a catastrophic flood—and surfaced centuries of cultural heritage. Now there’s a call not to rebuild it.
Tikal, one of the biggest cities the Maya ever built, was home to a vast and flourishing society.
Serving as the inspiration for the modern horror classic “The Blair Witch Project,” what does our fascination with this unsolvable mystery tell us about our modern psyche?
This minimalist map unties Asia’s mountainous geography, centered on the “Pamir Knot.”
Traditionally, the long history of Japanese thought has not been viewed as “philosophy” — even by Japanese scholars. It’s time for a rethink.
Was the terror of Biscayne Bay a man who escaped slavery, an African chieftain, or a marketing ploy that went viral?
The stench of death is actually fairly pleasant.
Sweet, bitter, salty, sour. These are the four basic tastes we were taught in grade school. But there is a fifth: umami. And it's everywhere.
The mountain can generate lenticular clouds, which may contribute to its supernatural reputation.
39mins
Throw away your history books — here’s what life in ancient Rome was really like, according to Cambridge scholar Mary Beard.
Nero’s reputation as one of the most malevolent emperors in Roman history might be partly slander.
In Kannauj, perfumers have been making monsoon-infused mitti attar for centuries.
The arsons were no accident, archaeological evidence suggests.
Now that the DSM lists severe hoarding as a disorder apart from OCD, psychologists are asking what explains its prevalence.
Almost all royal lines try to legitimize their rule with legendary origin stories. Here are five of the strangest examples.
Those white, marble statues you see in museums all over the world were originally painted with bright colors.
A classical equivalent to Chanel No. 5.
The crisis of the Anthropocene challenges our traditional narratives and myths about humanity's place in the world. Citizen science can help.
John Templeton Foundation
They had the technology. So why didn't they use it?
Due to export controls from China, the Europeans had to invent their own forms of porcelain. One type involves dead cows.
But make sure you bring the fossegrim the proper offering—or else.
The Source Family, a radical 1970s utopian commune, still impacts what we eat today.
4mins
Science has opened so many doors to humanity’s understanding of the world. Scientism shuts them. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Glimpse into the ancient Maya empire through the writing of its own inhabitants.
Nobody knows where the word "penguin" comes from.
How one man's divine dream became a poultry-shaped reality.
The acceptance of our cosmic loneliness and the rarity of our planet is a wakeup call.
John Templeton Foundation
4mins
People say we are better off than ever. Are they right?