An anthropologist applies the practice of “multispecies ethnography” to study a controversial, flourishing population of macaques on Florida’s Silver River.
What Orangutans Taught Me About MotherhoodAfter observing great apes in Borneo, an anthropologist reflects on being raised by a single mother—and on how women learn to be good moms.
Animal Grief Shows We Aren’t Meant to Die AloneThe coronavirus pandemic is robbing some people of a chance to come together to mourn: a practice deeply embedded in many animal species.
Why Social Distancing Feels So StrangeHumans are wired through millions of years of evolution to be social creatures. Faced with the COVID-19 virus, can we stay connected at a distance?
Does Your Microbiome Shape Your Friendships?Research confirms that who you spend time with is a powerful predictor of the microbes you carry. But these tiny organisms may also influence your social life.
Unraveling the Mystery of Human BipedalityPaleoanthropologist Carol Ward explains how walking upright marked a milestone in hominin history.
The Myth of Badass SpermWe’ve all been taught that human fertilization is an Olympic-style competition. The truth is that it’s much more like a gigantic lottery.
Why Can’t Apes Talk?A recent study suggests they’ve got the voice but not the brains.
How Human Smarts EvolvedBy counting the number of neurons in brains, one scientist revolutionized our view of why Homo sapiens and nonhuman primates are so much smarter than other animals.
Chimpanzees Can’t Tell Us Much About Being HumanAlthough there is merit in recognizing how we resemble our primate relatives, sometimes we need to understand what sets our species apart.
