Do You See What I See?

Cultural groups throughout the world talk about color differently—some don’t even have a word for color. So is color perception a universal human experience or not?

The Revolutionary Genius of Neanderthals

Our often-ridiculed ancestors were capable of abstract thought. They deserve some respect.

Simplicity Is Essentially a State of Mind

To live more simply means getting off the treadmill of mindless consumerism.

Why We Yearn for the Simple Life

Six social scientists debate why philosophies of simplicity arise and endure, and why it can be so hard to live…

How Our Contradictions Make Us Human and Inspire Creativity

We live our lives filled with wild contradictions. An anthropologist argues that it’s good we do.

The Long Count

How we memorialize significant events says a lot about our perception of time.

The Night I Was Attacked by a Ghost

Dreaming is an essential part of the way humans learn. But what happens when we dream while immersed in a foreign culture?

How Twin Culture Challenges Our Notions of Self

Researchers have long viewed identical twins as mutants, oddballs, and freaks. Bothered by a biased scientific literature, two anthropologists who are also identical twins conduct their own twin ethnographic research.