Why Envy Might Be Good for Us
Namibian hunter-gatherers deride those who stand out. What does this tell us about why, and how, we care about fairness?
Human Nature
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Who First Buried the Dead?
We have learned a lot by trying to figure out what makes humans unique. Now, it's time to focus on what we have in common with the rest of life.
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When It Comes to Love, Is Three (or More) a Crowd?
Cultures around the world fear unrequited love. One strategy to avoid the pain of rejection might be to spread your love around—but does that work?
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Is the Clock Ticking Toward Doomsday?
The news hints that we are getting closer to Armageddon—but some say we are more peaceful now than in the past. How do we make sense of this contradiction?
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Why Do So Many People Want to Die?
A veteran scholar contemplates the origins of the peculiarly human phenomenon of suicide.
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Why Humans Are So Smart—And So Stressed Out
Homo sapiens evolved big brains not so that we could make tools but so that we could keep track of 150 friends and competitors.