One
An anthropological poem journeys to the eye of the storm to understand how “race” has no biological basis—and is instead rooted in discrimination. What future for our species?
One
Memory
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What Will Italy Become Without Its Elders?
The coronavirus has swept away a generation of wisdom-keepers, WWII survivors, storytellers, parents, and grandparents in Bergamo, Italy. An anthropologist mourns with her community—the hardest hit in the country—and asks all of us the most difficult questions of this pandemic.
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The National Lynching Memorial Speaks to My Black ’Bama Body OR Imma Be Here Forever, You Gon’ Remember This
A SAPIENS poetry contest winner immerses himself in a new memorial dedicated to the lynching of more than 4,400 people between 1877 and 1950 in the United States.
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Stringing Together an Ancient Empire’s Stories
Anthropologist Sabine Hyland attempts to uncover the messages held in twisted and colored Andean cords called khipus.
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What Do Monuments Reveal About Their Makers?
An archaeologist ponders memorials—from the Monti gate to the Taj Mahal—and finds clues about the reasons people want to be remembered.
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Do You Dream What I Dream?
An anthropologist investigates what unites and distinguishes the human universal of dreaming.