What Orangutans Taught Me About Motherhood
After observing great apes in Borneo, an anthropologist reflects on being raised by a single mother—and on how women learn to be good moms.
Biology
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Do I Have Microremains in My Teeth?
Tiny particles called “microremains” that get trapped in dental plaque tell a story of long ago diets and ecosystems.
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Animal Grief Shows We Aren’t Meant to Die Alone
The coronavirus pandemic is robbing some people of a chance to come together to mourn: a practice deeply embedded in many animal species.
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Could COVID-19 Permanently Change Hand Hygiene?
An anthropologist tackles the slippery subject of hand sanitization in a world torn between concerns over contagion and antibiotic resistance.
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Why Social Distancing Feels So Strange
Humans are wired through millions of years of evolution to be social creatures. Faced with the COVID-19 virus, can we stay connected at a distance?
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Race Is Real, But It’s Not Genetic
For over 300 years, socially defined notions of “race” have shaped human lives around the globe—but the category has no biological foundation.