The evidence suggests that empires often react to periods of their own decline by over-extending their coping mechanisms. Military actions, infrastructure problems, and social welfare demands may then combine or clash, accumulating costs and backlash effects that the declining empire cannot manage. Policies aimed to...

Scientific breakthroughs about human origins have captured the curiosity of audiences eager to learn more about the past. We are entering a new phase, thanks to the accumulation of evidence and new research technologies, in which experts and audiences are increasingly asking bigger questions about...

The actual cause of the climate crisis is the anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere since the start of the industrial revolution. But the proximate cause—the underlying activity that sparked the climate crisis and the intertwined environmental crises—is how we have built society,...

The release of Determined, a new book by renowned Stanford professor of primate behavior and neuroscience Robert M. Sapolsky, has catapulted him into the middle of an ancient debate: whether humans have free will and agency over their actions. Determined isn’t just a bio-philosophical...

Many of Cliff Tobey’s friends and neighbors struggled over the years to get their children to doctor’s appointments or pick them up when schools closed early during Minnesota’s brutal winters. ...

Our investigation of the disastrous society-wide collapses of four premodern polities, China’s Ming Dynasty, the South Asian Mughal Empire, the High Roman Empire, and Renaissance Venice led to the discovery of an unexpected historical pattern. This revelation was not evident before these sudden collapses as...

From the outskirts of cities to the most rural parts of the country, more than 1 million Namibians lack adequate access to toilets, and they are often faced with only one option: open defecation. ...

During President Joe Biden’s speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on August 19, pro-Palestinian delegates briefly unveiled a banner urging an end to U.S. arms for Israel before they were drowned out by cheers for Biden. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protests outside the...

Next-generation (“next-gen”) materials are innovative alternatives to traditional petrochemical and animal-based materials like leather, silk, down, fur, wool, and exotic skins. They aim to replace animal-based materials and significantly reduce environmental impacts and animal welfare concerns. ...

Pigs are fascinating animals. Science shows they can solve challenging problems, love to play, display wide-ranging emotions, and have unique personalities. In short, they are both intelligent and sentient—capable of feeling. It’s clear that it is illogical and immoral to treat pigs as mere objects. ...