All stories
For the Love of Cats in Turkey
On a visit to feline-friendly Turkey, an anthropologist considers what long-standing practices of caring for cats reveal about human societies.
What Spider Games Say About Arachnophobia
Many people around the world fear spiders. But in the Philippines, the tradition of spider wrestling often brings people and arachnids in close proximity.
The Human Roots of Japan’s Cherry Blossoms
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.
¿Por qué (a algunos) humanos les encantan los chiles?
Un antropólogo recorre los orígenes y los viajes por el mundo de una de sus plantas favoritas.
Picturing the Deep Universe Is Deeply Human
The James Webb Space Telescope’s stunning photos require extensive image processing—revealing as much about humanity as about the universe.
Sentirse vivo ante el batir de infinitas alas anaranjadas
La épica migración anual de las mariposas monarca de Norteamérica a México inspira a un antropólogo a reflexionar sobre los precarios ciclos vitales de este insecto a través de la lente de la “etnografía multiespecie”.
Alive in the Flapping of Infinite Orange Wings
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.”
Does “Monkeypox” Give Monkeys a Bad Name?
The debate over naming the virus known as monkeypox says a lot about the close—but fraught—relationships between humans and our fellow primates.
Why Do (Some) Humans Love Chili Peppers?
An anthropologist traces the origins and world travels of one of his favorite kinds of plants.
Did Margaret Mead Think a Healed Femur Was the Earliest Sign of Civilization?
An anthropologist digs into the origins of a popular story attributed to Margaret Mead about the original sign of civilization.
The Cultural Anxieties of Xenotransplantation
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.
How Filipino Sailors—and Coconuts—Helped Create Mexico’s National Drink
Most people see tequila and mezcal as quintessentially Mexican spirits—but recent research has uncovered their unlikely connection with the Philippines.
Cómo los marineros filipinos—y los cocos—ayudaron a crear la bebida nacional de México
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—.
Cuando el conejillo de indias se vuelve gourmet
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?
When the Guinea Pig Goes Gourmet
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?
What Dog Breeds Say About Race
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.
