Skip to main content

Editor's Selections: Cave paintings, Religiosity, and Morality

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American



On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


This week on ResearchBlogging.org:

  • Cris Campbell of Genealogy of Religion presents the possibility that Paleolithic cave paintings in the Rouffignac Cave may have been done by children, and are not the practiced markings left by shamans.

  • At Psychothalamus, we learn about the reproductive religiosity model, which proposes that sexual and family values and direct religious leanings: our mating strategies help us assess the costs of particular religious affiliations.

  • Is morality genetically encoded? At Science Sushi, Christie Wilcox explores recent research on the effects that variations in serotonin transmitter genes may have on our tendencies to act on behalf of the "greater good."

I'll be back next week with more from anthropology, philosophy, and research.