Featured Archived
Seasons Episodes
Table of contents
Introduction 0 Why Write for the Public? 1 What to Expect, from Pitch to Publication 2 How to Write a Pitch 3 How To Tell a Great Story, Part 1: Structure 4 How To Tell a Great Story, Part 2: Style 5 Navigating Ethics and Reducing Harms 6 Habits of Thriving Public Anthropologists 7 Cultivating the Craft of Writing 8
Table of contents
Introduction 0 Why Write for the Public? 1 What to Expect, from Pitch to Publication 2 How to Write a Pitch 3 How To Tell a Great Story, Part 1: Structure 4 How To Tell a Great Story, Part 2: Style 5 Navigating Ethics and Reducing Harms 6 Habits of Thriving Public Anthropologists 7 Cultivating the Craft of Writing 8
Announcement

After ten years of exploring humanity in all its diversity, SAPIENS has concluded its publishing chapter.

While the magazine has closed, its living archive endures—open to all and preserving the many ideas, voices, and discoveries that deepen our understanding of what it means to be human.

How Natural Birth Became Inaccessible to the Poor

While Mexico’s middle and upper classes are discovering the wonders of natural birth, traditional Indigenous midwives are actively being discouraged from providing the same services to the lower classes.

What Did Ancient Romans Do Without Toilet Paper?

Hint: It involved a long stick, sea sponge, and bucket of vinegar.

Humanity’s Surprising Variety of Approaches to Toilet Training

Don’t worry, parents. When it comes to potty training, you almost can’t go wrong.

When It’s Not Safe to Sleep

The sleep patterns of the homeless reveal the vulnerabilities of street life.

Death and Dying 101

A study of cross-cultural attitudes toward mortality can help young people accept death as a part of life.

Food Is About Far More Than Bodily Sustenance

The North American food system prioritizes food that is inexpensive and fills the belly, without nourishing families, cultures, or social networks. We have much to learn.

Were We Ever Paleo Perfect?

Looking back at human history from our polluted, sedentary urban lives, we can easily elevate our Paleolithic past. But was it all we imagine?

Can Medical Anthropology Solve the Diabetes Dilemma?

As the number of sufferers continues to rise, some researchers are moving in new directions to figure out how culture and lifestyle shape disease outcomes.

How Culture Shapes Perceptions of Miscarriage

Pregnancy loss is a common part of women’s reproductive lives. Learning how women in different cultures process the experience can help all of us find meaning in misfortune.

Schizophrenia’s Tangled Roots

As an increasingly complex picture of schizophrenia emerges, researchers are recognizing that a more individualized and humane approach is needed to better understand and treat the condition.