Many people around the world fear spiders. But in the Philippines, the tradition of spider wrestling often brings people and arachnids in close proximity.

Most cherry blossom trees planted in Japan today are the iconic pale-pink somei-yoshino variety—but its reign may be coming to an end.

The James Webb Space Telescope’s stunning photos require extensive image processing—revealing as much about humanity as about the universe.

Monarch butterflies’ epic annual migration from North America to Mexico inspires an anthropologist to reflect on this insect’s precarious life cycles through the lens of “multispecies ethnography.”

The debate over naming the virus known as monkeypox says a lot about the close—but fraught—relationships between humans and our fellow primates.

An anthropologist traces the origins and world travels of one of his favorite kinds of plants.

An anthropologist digs into the origins of a popular story attributed to Margaret Mead about the original sign of civilization.

A genetically engineered pig heart was transplanted to a human body for the first time this year. While many celebrated, others remain uneasy. Anthropologists can shed light on why.

Most people see tequila and mezcal as quintessentially Mexican spirits—but recent research has uncovered their unlikely connection with the Philippines.

La mayoría de las personas considera que el tequila y el mezcal son bebidas espirituosas mexicanas por excelencia –pero investigaciones recientes han descubierto su improbable conexión con Filipinas—.

En los últimos años, el cuy ha pasado de ser un alimento humilde y ceremonial, que se come en los Andes, a un manjar entre los urbanitas. ¿Qué hay detrás de este cambio de gustos?

In recent years, the guinea pig has gone from a humble and ceremonial food eaten in the Andes to a delicacy among urbanites. What’s behind this change in tastes?

In the Philippines, the practice of placing dogs into hierarchies based on breeds can be traced back to a problematic colonial legacy of ranking people based on race.

During the pandemic, an anthropologist finds new meaning in the everyday ritual of preparing and drinking coffee.

The surprising scientific discovery of phosphine in the clouds of Earth’s closest neighboring planet is reanimating questions about humanity’s place in the cosmos.

An anthropologist digs into what the current “botanic boom” reveals about people’s interactions with nature and with one another.

An anthropologist tackles the slippery subject of hand sanitization in a world torn between concerns over contagion and antibiotic resistance.

As the new coronavirus epidemic spreads, more and more people are wearing surgical masks—despite their questionable effectiveness. An anthropologist explores the reasons why.

In South America, countries struggle to protect traditional uses of coca while decreasing its currency in the addiction- and crime-addled cocaine trade.

In many parts of the world, people who take illegal substances are punished with harsh prison sentences or executions that are unjustified. Behind this treatment lie prejudices that have a surprising history.

A desire for lighter skin tones is deeply entrenched in many parts of the world, but it comes with equally deep risks to health and society.