Daily Interlude

Fair play: Monkeys share our sense of injustice

How often have you seen rich people take to the streets, shouting that they're earning too much? No, I thought not. Protesters are typically blue-collar workers yelling that the minimum wage has to go up ... more >>

On Myth

  Writers don’t make up myths; they take them over and recast them. Even Homer was telling stories that his audience already knew. If some individuals present weren’t acquainted with Odysseus’s wanderings or the Trojan War ... more >>

More Girls in India are Refusing to Become Child Brides

Despite a 2006 law banning the age-old practice, most parents in rural India still want to marry off their daughters before the legal age of 18 ... more >>

Physics and Pixie Dust

For many years, historians of the Renaissance have lauded the value of forgeries and fakes. Counterfeit documents, passed off as real, offer invaluable clues about the wider culture in which they were made ... more >>

Jazz is not Dead

Long before we debated what real punk-rock was, what true hip-hop was, or what made indie-rock authentic, jazz heads grappled with what is and isn't jazz music. Now, the debate is whether Jazz id dying off or not ... more >>

Secrets of Nonverbal Communication

Body language can speak more strongly than words. Make sure you say the right things with it ... more >>

Microsoft Shows off Prototype Next Generation Office Wall

Say what you might about their products on the market, but when it comes to flashy prototypes and revolutionary concepts, Microsoft is indisputably a clear leader in the industry ... more >>

Fat is a Humanist Issue

Want to know what it's like to be fat? It means facing a constant barrage of humiliation from people who feel entitled to comment ... more >>

Following the Adventurous Ant Trail

"This work will be physically demanding. You will need to carry bulky sampling supplies into rugged terrain. Some sites may be swelteringly hot, others cold and rainy. You will need to move off trails into dense forested habitats. Long hikes may be required ... There will be mud and mosquitoes." ... more >>

Rediscovering Central Asia

It was once the “land of a thousand cities” and home to some of the world’s most renowned scientists, poets, and philosophers. Today it is seen mostly as a harsh backwater. To imagine Central Asia’s future, we must journey into its remarkable past ... more >>