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A person in a white poncho hugs the head of a horse wearing a colorful mask against a blue sky with white clouds.

Scientists Uplift Indigenous Human-Horse Histories

An archaeologist and a Lakota genomics scientist explain how combining archaeology, DNA, and Indigenous knowledge can help revise colonial human-horse narratives largely associated with the western U.S.
Four large ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs are engraved on the wall of a temple with columns in the background.

Can Machine Learning Translate Ancient Egyptian Texts?

A new program aims to use AI to help academics and the public decipher hieroglyphs. Here’s an inside look at how—and whether—it works.
Large white letters that spell out “Indian Land” rest on sand and dried grasses in front of a mountain range.

Land Acknowledgments Are Not Enough

Three anthropologists decry the use of land acknowledgments when they fail to advocate for genuine Indigenous sovereignty and the return of stolen lands.
Three pyramids are shown in warm light against a blue sky with pink clouds.

Did Aliens Build the Pyramids? And Other Racist Theories

Pseudoarchaeology, conspiracy theories that ancient civilizations were founded by aliens or the denizens of Atlantis, are more than just silly—they’re dangerous.
Questions about the safety of eating “bushmeat” were front and center during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to 2016.

Ebola Prevention Caught in the Bushmeat Trap

The legacy of colonialism in West Africa continues to impact how communities engage with public health and conservation efforts. Taking a new approach to these can increase trust and save lives.
Offensive and bombastic rhetoric is key to Donald Trump’s campaign. Why are voters drawn to this taboo-violating candidate? The work of Mary Douglas might provide the key.

The Paradox of Donald Trump’s Appeal

How can a political candidate as offensive and outrageous as Trump be so popular? Fifty-year-old insights into how religion works may hold the key.
In Mexico City, critics created a piñata in response to Donald Trump’s claims that many Mexican immigrants to the United States bring drugs and crime, and that many are rapists. Such rhetoric has put the Republican party in a political and moral bind.

Trump’s Tactics and Republican Speechlessness

Donald Trump has combined party politics and a familiar nationalist script with a uniquely American interpretation of free speech. The result is a racist rhetoric that has been frighteningly hard to stop.
hate speech

The Myth of Free Speech

Anti-racism movements on U.S. campuses have raised a key question about language and freedom: Can we really say anything at any time?