Coronavirus Is Killing the Hope of Asylum

The pandemic has deepened the crisis for the millions of migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers who have nowhere to turn in the face of closed ports and seas emptied of rescue boats.

The Symbolic Power of Virus Testing

To help battle the coronavirus crisis, testing would not only identify those who carry the virus, it would also make the threat of the disease more tangible.

Venice’s Black Death and the Dawn of Quarantine

Archaeological research is unearthing Venice’s quarantine history to illuminate how the Italian city created a vast public health response 700 years ago and helped lay the modern foundation for coping with pandemics.

Humans in 2019—From Discoveries to Disasters

SAPIENS’ editorial team presents a roundup of this year’s top news and other important insights as seen through the lens of anthropology.

Does Generosity Come Naturally?

Everyone has experienced generosity—and its opposite. An anthropologist investigates the roots of human cooperation.

Is a More Generous Society Possible?

Generosity helps communities manage risk and cope with disasters. New research untangles the factors that lead people to help neighbors in need.

What Ancient Landscapes Foretell About Climate Change

An archaeologist who has studied the charred remains of historic people’s lives reflects on what the past can tell us about disasters and climate change.

Can Honeybees Teach Us How to Live?

A different way of thinking and working with bees may help us survive on a damaged planet.

For One Forensic Anthropologist, Resilience Is Bone Deep

From medieval villages in Transylvania to war-torn countries in South America and North Africa, evidence of human endurance and strength is everywhere—even in the midst of devastation.

Surviving Climate Change in Italy

Chestnut trees provide a key insight into how people can prepare for the storms that are growing increasingly destructive as a result of climate change.