Issue_104
25 articles-
The Universe Has Already Made Almost All the Stars It Will Ever Make
Black holes are cosmic dimmers. -
Here’s Where Our Minds Sharpen in Old Age
Fluid intelligence has several aspects, and aging affects them differently. -
We Have to Talk About Doubt
How to tell the difference between scientific and conspiratorial skepticism. -
My Personal Quest to Study Supernovae on Mars
Overcoming sexist naysayers and self-doubt in astrophysics. -
How I Escaped My Troubles Through Science
My life in theoretical physics took a fateful turn after 9/11.
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The Electromagnetic Force of Fridge Magnets
An illustrated guide to the universal laws in your kitchen.
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Why You May Have More Friends Than Your Friends Do
There’s a rude charm to the title, “Why Your Friends Have More Friends Than You.” It’s catchy, like the title of an antagonistic explainer: Here are the causes of your lackluster social life. It sounds more like a New York Times op-ed than an academic paper. But in fact, “Why Your Friends Have More Friends […]
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The Transcendence of Tantric Sex
A psychologist argues science can take a lesson from ritual about how to heal.
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The Economic Case for Vaccine Passports
Requiring vaccine passports would not violate any individual rights that a well-ordered society would choose to defend. -
The Math That Says Egalitarianism Is Possible
You don’t have to be entirely pessimistic about the future of wealth inequality. -
Nature’s Antifreeze
Fish that thrive in icy waters provide a key to preserving human cells. -
Twilight of the Nautilus
What the scientist who has studied the iconic sea creature for 45 years now sees. -
Why Your Sleeping Brain Replays New Rewarding Experiences
It turned out that, yes, the participants’ brains revealed they were doing a kind of “neural replay” of the game they had been manipulated to win.Illustration by Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock During this Olympics, I’ve been rooting for Kelleigh Ryan, who is on the women’s foil team. She’s from Ottawa, where I live. Whenever she […]