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The Women Who Found Liberation in Seaweed
How a shared love of algae got a community of women hooked on marine science.
The Porthole
Short sharp looks at science
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When Sleep Deprivation Is an Antidepressant
For some, a night without sleep causes mood-boosting changes in the brain.
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How Different Instruments Shape the Music We Love
The timbre of a violin or a sitar can affect how dissonant music sounds to us.
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Everything in Its Right Place
When a misplaced sense of familiarity gives rise to delusions of place.
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The End of the Dark Universe?
A new “post-quantum” theory of gravity says we can wave dark matter and dark energy goodbye.
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Let’s Get Granular
Scientists have long puzzled over the behavior of mixed particles in rivers and landslides. New clues could be groundbreaking.
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When Calamity Comes at a Crawl
Climate change may exacerbate the quiet catastrophe of slow-moving landslides.
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Tools of the Wild: Unveiling the Crafty Side of Nature
It’s time to rethink what tools reveal about animal intelligence and evolution.
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He Closed the Gap Between Humans and Apes
Frans de Waal saw animal behavior with fresh eyes and forever enriched our understanding of primates.
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The Groundhog Watchers
Meet Susan and Joe. Their daily observations of the groundhogs in their yard are making science history.
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The Unseen Deep-Sea Legacy of Whaling
It’s not just whales who were decimated, but the creatures who live where they fall.
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The Plight of Japan’s Ama Divers
Practiced mostly by women, this fishing tradition is thousands of years old. Can it survive?
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Scientists and Artists as Storytelling Teams
A conversation with artist and naturalist Zoe Keller. -
These Eyes Shine Light on the Path of Evolution
The visual systems of a group of mollusks reveal how future evolution depends on the past. -
Why Bats Are Flying Machines
Nearly everything about this tiny mammal is shaped by its powers of flight. -
How Does Blood Splatter in Space?
Forensics has reached the final frontier, and could be used to solve future space accidents—or crimes. -
The Speediest Creatures on Earth
How tiny one-celled protists pull off their strange and marvelous feats. -
Why We Search for Silver Linings
A tendency to reframe negative events may be embedded in our neurobiology. -
The Quiet Comeback of the Tortoises
Following the eradication of invasive goats, giant tortoises are once again flourishing in the Galápagos islands. -
A Jig for the Blues
New evidence for the curative effects of dance. -
How Quickly Do Large Language Models Learn Unexpected Skills?
A new study suggests that so-called emergent abilities actually develop gradually and predictably, depending on how you measure them. -
The Dissent Hidden in an Iconic Scientific Image
Gowan Dawson on his 3 greatest revelations while writing his book Monkey to Man. -
How Illegal Fishing Ships Hide
And how conservationists are finding them. -
African Glaciers Will Vanish In Our Lifetimes
The loss of ice on Kilimanjaro and other peaks will upend ecosystems and livelihoods. -
The Boy Who Was King of Vanilla
His brilliant method of pollination is now used by all vanilla growers. -
A Knockout Issue
Asteroids, boxing, and hallucinations, in the editor’s note from Print Issue 54. -
Humpback Whales Caught Humping
The first observation of humpback whale copulation reveals a surprise. -
Evolution Is Going According to God’s Plan
In the new book Purpose, a Yale psychiatrist argues Darwinian forces are divinely guided. -
Could Modified Gravity Kill Planet Nine?
A controversial theory can explain phenomena attributed to the mystery planet. -
Why Artists Should View The World Through The Eyes Of A Tourist
A conversation with artist Jorge Colombo. -
The Power of Regret
A simple game shows how fear of regret shapes decisions.