Cognition
Quantum Mechanics, Plato's Cave and the Blind Piranha
Can we ever really know the world?
Stories by John Horgan
Wellness
My Stupid Elbow and the Crisis in Health Care
A lingering hockey injury forces a science writer to reconsider his criticism of American medicine
Policy & Ethics
Science Should Not Try to Absorb Religion and Other Ways of Knowing
Our diverse ways of seeing reality will never, and should never, meld into a monolithic worldview
Physics
Can Science Survive the Death of the Universe?
Three physicists envision ways in which the quest for knowledge can last forever
Behavior & Society
As Its Longest War Comes to an End, the U.S. Should Seek to End All Wars
Along with other nations, we should begin talking about how to put militarism behind us
Computing
Will Quantum Computing Ever Live Up to Its Hype?
One expert warns that the field is overpromising, while another says his firm is on the verge of building “useful” machines
Behavior & Society
A Pep Talk from Steven Pinker
Despite what we see in the headlines, the data-driven optimist thinks we should be grateful to live in the best era in humanity’s long, troubled history
Behavior & Society
I’m Agonizing over My Naive Realism
The philosophical position that the world has an objective, physical existence may be dubious, but we need it to address our very real problems
Physics
Quantum Mechanics, the Chinese Room Experiment and the Limits of Understanding
All of us, even physicists, often process information without really knowing what we’re doing
Space
Hearing about the Big Bang for the First Time
A jaded old science writer rediscovers the thrill of science by teaching undergraduates
Math
Quantum Mechanics, Free Will and the Game of Life
Some thoughts triggered by the death of the mathematician John Conway
Neuroscience
Can Science Illuminate Our Inner Dark Matter?
Neither introspection nor brain scans can reveal our deepest thoughts
Policy & Ethics
Premature Freak-Outs about Techno-Enhancement
Debates about whether to “improve” our mind and body often exaggerate the feasibility of doing so
Math
Is the Schrödinger Equation True?
Just because a mathematical formula works does not mean it reflects reality
Physics
Quantum Mechanics, the Mind-Body Problem and Negative Theology
Scientists and philosophers should keep trying to solve reality’s deepest riddles while accepting that they are unsolvable
Computing
Will Artificial Intelligence Ever Live Up to Its Hype?
Replication problems plague the field of AI, and the goal of general intelligence remains as elusive as ever
Policy & Ethics
Thanksgiving and the Myth of Native American "Savages"
Prominent scientists exaggerate the violence of Native Americans, whom European invaders ravaged.
Behavior & Society
Distrust Authorities, Including Me
The presidential election and pandemic have highlighted the fallibility of experts, but that doesn’t mean we should dismiss them all
Physics
Will the Universe Remember Us after We’re Gone?
Physicists insist that information never vanishes, not even in black holes, but this “law” reflects wishful thinking
Mental Health
Has the Drug-Based Approach to Mental Illness Failed?
Journalist Robert Whitaker is more concerned than ever that psychiatric medications do more harm than good
