Behavior
Richard Dawkins Offers Advice for Donald Trump, and Other Wisdom
The biologist and atheist, whose latest book was released this week, talks about the reliability of science, artificial intelligence, religion and the president
Stories by John Horgan
Policy
Filmmaker Errol Morris Clarifies Stance on Kuhn and Trump
If Kuhn had “never lived,” there “might still be a President Donald Trump”
Computing
Profile of Claude Shannon, Inventor of Information Theory
Shannon, a pioneer of artificial intelligence, thought machines can think but doubted they "would take over”
Biology
Chimp Guy Knocks Baboon Guy's Upbeat View of Human War
Harvard’s Richard Wrangham and Stanford’s Robert Sapolsky clash over claim that war has deep evolutionary roots
Medicine
The Promise of LSD Microdoses and Other Psychedelic "Medicines"
Psychiatrist John Halpern discusses the psychotherapeutic potential of peyote, ayahuasca, psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelics
Fitness
Tripping on Peyote in Navajo Nation
A journalist exploring psychedelics’ therapeutic potential participates in a ceremony of the Native American Church
Public Health
Why We Overrate the Lifesaving Power of Cancer Tests
Science journalist Gary Taubes weighs in on PSA tests and mammograms
Public Health
Why I Won't Get a PSA Test for Prostate Cancer
Physicians are still recommending the blood test for prostate cancer even though it harms far more men than it helps
Evolution
How Quarks Turned into Cultures
Big-picture biologist Tyler Volk talks about his book on “How We Came to Be”
Policy
Second Thoughts: Did Thomas Kuhn Help Elect Donald Trump?
Scholars debate filmmaker Errol Morris’s attack on Kuhn’s influential philosophy of science
Policy
Second Thoughts on Whether Self-Knowledge Is Overrated
Intellectuals defend the value of being intellectuals.
Policy
Did Thomas Kuhn Help Elect Donald Trump?
Filmmaker Errol Morris claims Kuhn’s critique of science paved the way for a post-truth presidency
Space & Physics
Is a Popular Theory of Cosmic Creation Pseudoscience?
Physicists battle over whether the theory of inflation is untestable, and hence not really scientific
Behavior
Is Self-Knowledge Overrated?
Scientists and philosophers doubt the ancient claim that vigorous examination of yourself and others makes you a better person
Space & Physics
Why String Theory Is Still Not Even Wrong
Physicist, mathematician and blogger Peter Woit whacks strings, multiverses, simulated universes and “fake physics”
EARTH
What's Your Utopia?
Imagining an ideal world can help us make this world better
Cognition
David Chalmers Thinks the Hard Problem Is Really Hard
Consciousness will still mystify us even if we scientifically solve it, philosopher predicts
Policy
Will Neuroweapons, Micro-Drones and Other Killer Apps Really Make Us Safer?
Americans should have a more vigorous debate over Pentagon’s relentless pursuit of “disruptive” innovations
Behavior
R.I.P. Huston Smith, Religious Scholar Who Defended Psychedelics' Spiritual Potential
The advocate of "perennial philosophy" held that “entheogens” can provide glimpses of transcendent truths embodied in religions
Public Health
Is Nuclear War the Only Cure for Inequality?
A historian claims only apocalyptic destruction can close the gap between rich and poor
