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Chasing Lost Languages
Author Laura Spinney on the 3 greatest revelations she had while writing Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global
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AI Already Knows Us Too Well
Chatbots profile our personalities, which could give them the keys to drive our thoughts—and actions
The Porthole
Short sharp looks at science
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Laughing Apes Take Risks
Hearing the sounds of chuckles may make our bonobo cousins think on the bright side
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Ancient Seas Hosted the Ultimate Squid Game
100 million years ago, the charismatic cephalopods ruled Earth’s oceans
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Your Mind Is Part of the Ecosystem
Recognizing the link between mental and ecological health can change how we relate to the world and ourselves
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Hope Catches a Tailwind
Dona Bertarelli brings her intimate knowledge of the high seas to advocate for conserving ocean ecosystems
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Our Boiling Seas
Scientists are getting better at predicting marine heatwaves. But is it enough to save ecosystems and vulnerable species?
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AI Could Help Humans Understand Animals
But are animal dictionaries enough to demystify the animal mind?
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Conspiracy Theorists Can Be Deprogrammed
AI-delivered evidence might be better at changing minds than you are
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My Visit with My Dead Father’s Brain
What I discovered about my dad and myself at the lab where his brain resides
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How To Tell If You’re Dead
The line between life and death has never been clear—and modern technology blurs it further
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Evolution and Guinea Pig Toes
How one animal’s oddity inspired Sewall Wright to take on one of Darwin’s big ideas
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Stranger Things in the Universe
New data about dark energy is a reminder that cosmology is a never-ending story
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Neutron Stars Hint at Another Dimension
Are the mysterious stars clues to one of the greatest mysteries in the universe?
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The Extraordinary, Imperiled Science at the End of the Earth
Firing experts in Antarctica couldn’t come at a worse time
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How We Solved the Hole in the Ozone
A scientist’s first-hand account shows the world can tackle a global environmental crisis.
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What We Misunderstand About Robots
Sci-fi master Adrian Tchaikovsky on evolution, other minds, and the politics of science
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I Bought a Robot Cat for My Rabbit
A TikTok experiment led me into a strange world of cyborg cockroaches, imposter fish, and the ethics of care
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We Are a Part of Infinity
A neuroscientist uncovers Albert Einstein’s little known spiritual journey
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The Sean Carrolls Explain the Universe
Why are we here? Is there life on other planets? The renowned scientists who share a name share their answers to life’s big questions.
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The Soviet Rebel of Music
He composed on a computer in a dangerous time. His echo is still heard today.
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How Whales Could Help Us Speak to Aliens
Learning to decode complex communication on Earth may give us a leg up if intelligent life from space makes contact.
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The Ecosystem Dynamics That Can Make or Break an Invasion
By simulating ecological networks with microbes, researchers revealed properties that may make natural communities susceptible to invasion -
We Didn’t Start the Fire
But our ancient ancestors set the world ablaze 50,000 years ago -
Rethinking the Big Bang
The largest map of the universe reveals giants at the birth of the universe -
The Weird Cooling Effect of Wildfires
Smoke and dust from fires could block the sun, but that’s not necessarily a good thing -
An Elephant’s Tusk Never Forgets
A simple test can peek into ivory to detect deception -
The Science of Tripping Comes to Town
The many challenges of studying psychedelics -
Scratch My Back and I’ll Scratch Yours
Orcas in Washington are creating grooming tools out of kelp stalks -
The Sublime Smarts of Slime Molds
These single-celled blobs show intelligent behavior -
The Woman Behind the World’s Biggest Camera
Vera Rubin overcame abundant obstacles to become a leading light in cosmology -
Dude, You Stink
But why? -
What If Every Roadkill Had a Memorial?
Road ecology meets community science -
How Neanderthals Got to Siberia
They trekked for 2,000 years across formidable terrain -
The Hornbills Left Behind
Protecting Asian species may have shifted poachers’ focus to African birds -
Sleep Has No Magic Number
People who sleep according to their culture’s norms are healthier overall -
How Ancient Beasts Spread Sweet Fruits
The native forests of South America were shaped by mastodons—and we’re doing a bad job filling their role -
How to Build a Planet from Dust
The answer is blowing in the (stellar) wind -
The Octopus Propaganda Hidden in Modern Maps
An old visual trick may promote conspiratorial thinking about global power -
If Oaks and Orchids Could Talk
Lucas Gutierrez wants to turn plant frequencies into a language humans can understand -
When Monsters Came for Mathematics
Adam Kucharski’s 3 greatest revelations while writing Proof: The Art and Science of Certainty -
Humpback Whales Are Way Cooler Than You
Just take a look at these smoke rings
