History of Science

As longtime readers may have noticed, I have an abiding interest in Neandertals. To help me keep up with the latest scientific insights into these mysterious relatives of ours, I have a Google alert set for "Neandertal" (and the alternate spelling, "Neanderthal").

If you’re like me, you’ve always wanted Ernst Haeckel in your house. Well, not literally Ernst Haeckel, the great 19th century biologist (although that would be cool, in alive form).

A new proposal pegs the start of the Anthropocene to the little ice age and the Columbian Exchange

Hey there, pretty bird. Welcome back. We've missed your jersey caramel colours and big, brown eyes since pretty much forever. What's new with us?

An illuminating new documentary reveals deliberate efforts to obfuscate global warming

Reported in Scientific American, This Week in World War I: March 6, 1915 World War I was an artillery war. Even as new technology—tanks, airplanes, submarines and poison gas—changed the nature of fighting, it was the power of mass manufacturing that had the most profound effect on the conduct of war.

The City of Light’s green makeover touched the iconic Eiffel Tower last week as it ramped up two onsite wind turbines. These turbines are installed inside the tower’s metal scaffolding on the second level, and are painted in the same color to minimize their visual impact on the 126-year-old tower.

Global warming is headed back to the future as the CO2 level reaches a new high

For years, I’ve been getting e-mails from people who praise my brilliant research on terrorism and then ask me tough questions about the topic

Our understanding of this planet has evolved in step with scientific progress

Books and recommendations from Scientific American

Books and recommendations from Scientific American