Is This the World’s Oldest Image of a Mind‑altering Plant?
A painted panel deep in a Spanish cave may push the human relationship with mind-altering plants back thousands of years, earlier than anything previously known
The Real “Mummy’s Curse” Lurks Online
A booming market for mummified remains poses health risks
The Trouble with Cancer Screening
Tests for cancer often lead to more confusion than clarity. Here’s how to understand them.
Where Human Sleep Went Wrong
A conversation with David Samson, evolutionary anthropologist and author of The Sleepless Ape, about how to sleep
An Astrobiologist’s Guide to the Best Sci-Fi Reads
Cosmic lesbian necromancers, cyberpunk Canterbury Tales, and so much more
Latest Stories
The Conditions on a US Aircraft Carrier Sound Concerning
Can science point the way toward designing environments to maximize mental health in such situations?
How Vipers Got Their Venom
Although it serves as a defense, it’s really all about securing a meal
The Extraterrestrial Rings of Bronze Age Greece
Meteorites were hot fashion accessories back then
Read Stories from Our Newest Print Issue: The Stupid Issue
See more
AI Made Me Look Foolish. Then I Learned
Ancient alchemy has a lot to teach us about chatbots
The Virtue of Being Simple
A surprising number of creatures don’t benefit from greater intelligence
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Cutting-edge science, unraveled by the brightest living thinkers.
Astronomy
See more AstronomyExtreme Space Weather Could Delay Your Next Flight
Researchers say surges in solar activity can wreak havoc on aircraft
In Stunning Color, a Celestial “Treasure Chest” Full of Stars
A majestic cometary globule some 7,500 light-years away
Awe-Inspiring Images from This Year’s Solar Eclipse
When the moon blocks out the sun, it creates something a lot like magic
History
See more HistoryWhen Stupid Was a Diagnosis
A dark history that is in danger of returning as support for people with disabilities withers
How Hannibal’s War Elephants Helped to Determine His Route Through the Alps
When you go into battle with nearly 40 gigantic pachyderms, you need to take the shortest path possible
The Rabies Vaccine Debuted Nearly 150 Years Ago Today
Pioneering microbiologist Louis Pasteur helped save the life of a dog-bitten boy
Psychology
See more PsychologyExtraordinary Experiences Are More Common Than You Think
How you make sense of the experience shapes its impact your well-being
Is It Better to Have a Lot of Casual Friends or a Few Close Ones?
Friendships are integral to human health and well being, yet researchers know very little about how people make friends. A new study investigated what people prioritize for new friendships.
Loner Kids May Be Happier Than You Think
A new study is offering insights into a crucial period of child development
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Environment
See more EnvironmentAn Ice Island as Big as Manhattan Just Broke Off Greenland
It’s a “remarkable” parting of the ways
How Our Attraction to Natural Fixes Can Stymie Climate Progress
Does a human-made problem need a natural solution?
Who Keeps Spreading the Seeds of This Parasitic Plant?
Cockroaches are just the half of it
Zoology
See more ZoologyWatch: Australian Dolphin Filmed Catching Fish with Shells
Yet another example of dolphins’ exceptional cognitive abilities
Inside the Not-So-Dumb Head of the Dodo Bird
Cranial scans reveal a brain with clever sensory adaptations
Philosophy
See more PhilosophyWhat a Picture of a Dog Has to Do with Reason and Logic
People who can’t see images in their minds challenge an old philosophical standby
What Makes Humans Stupid
It takes intelligence to get things spectacularly wrong. An essay on our undoing.
The Inventor of the Thinking Machine Didn’t Worry. Neither Should You
In this age of AI anxiety, listen to your heart
Sprinting vs. Jogging: The Benefit Is in the Blood
Live fast, die old
Read more
See all postsThe Quest to Understand the Forgotten Psychedelic
One of the first scans of mescaline in the brain suggests it travels a different path
There’s No Link Between Crime and Unauthorized Immigration
A massive new first-of-its-kind study zooms into the neighborhood level
This Lion-Like Nebula Has Cosmic Dust for a Mane and a Dying Star for a Face
A portrait taken over 5,000 light-years
“We Wanted to Create An Experience of Microscopic Awe”: A Radical New View of Sacred Plants
Fluorescent visions of the guts of living sacred plants from all over the Americas
Researchers Return to a Forgotten Forest Experiment 30 Years Later—With “Astounding” Results
A new look at the trees revealed an overlooked “win-win-win” scenario for forest maintenance
Why the Perseids Are the Most Famous Meteor Shower
The past, present, and future of this brilliant display
