Roots of Unity
The Queen of the Fold-and-Cut Alphabet
Manchester mathematician Katie Steckles tells us about her favorite theorem and how she used it to help design a new font
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Observations
How to Engineer Biology
Billion-dollar bridges rarely fail—whereas billion-dollar drug failures are routine
Observations
Why We Need Innovative Nuclear Power
Our future will depend on finding every possible source of reliable, carbon-free energy
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Can AIs Create True Art?
And if they can, what are the implications for the future of creativity?
Don't Make Me One with Everything
The mystical doctrine of oneness has creepy implications
How Capital Influences Attitudes toward Capital Punishment
When people think the economy is poor, support for the death penalty rises
Noam Chomsky Calls Trump and Republican Allies "Criminally Insane"
The great linguist and political critic remains hopeful that we can overcome global warming and other threats
Armistice Day: November 11, 1918 to November 11, 2018
“The war to end all wars” that had to be renamed “The First World War” ended 100 years ago
Delicate Fossil Bird Reveals Prehistoric Plumage Patterns
A new analysis gives the fossil bird Confuciusornis an updated look.
Working Hard Even If You Might Lose
Wanting to win can inspire us to do great things, but missing the mark should not blind us to all of our accomplishment along the way
Seeking the Truth When the Consensus Is against You
You should always listen to the experts—except when you shouldn’t
Shock as China Legalizes Medicinal Trade in Rhino Horns and Tiger Parts
In a move that shocked and horrified many conservationists, China this week opened up two legal markets for rhino horns and tiger body parts. Under China’s new rules, which overturn a 25-year-old ban, farm-raised tiger and rhino “products” can be approved for use in medical research or by accredited doctors in hospitals, despite the fact that the body parts have no known medicinal value.
Do Brazilians Really Care about the Environment?
The election of Jair Bolsonaro as our next president suggests we don’t, but the truth is more complicated
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