How did Italians, Jews, and other peoples become “white”? And will other, currently “nonwhite” ethnic groups follow suit?

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a vocal abolitionist, yet also romanticized a “Saxon” racial ideal. How should we make sense of his attitudes—and untangle them from our own?

Race is a 19th-century concept. In the 18th century, the division of human “varieties” was just as arbitrary—but a little more creative.

When did the concept of race originate? And was there no such thing as racism before it did? The author of “The History of White People” explains.

A conversation with the professor of American history at Princeton.

Humans have not acknowledged the degree to which we are a dangerous species. Life is safer if we recognize the dangers and anticipate them.

There will be a day when our food will be piped into our houses in some form of algomash that we can then turn into the equivalent of today’s hamburgers […]

Will raw foodists evolve differently from humans who eat cooked food?

We have the smallest guts of all primates, and the biggest brains. Blame cooking.

Creationism is simply part of the package for many religious people in the U.S.

Having more females in positions of power could reduce aggression in our society.

The legendary primatologist would produce a few great observations on how to behave and then would just let you run, he says.

There is evidence that humans are predisposed to behave violently in certain contexts. But the more we’re aware of it, the more we can do about it.

A conversation with the Harvard primatologist.

In 2050 there will be about 9 billion people in the world. The vast majority of them will live in urban areas, and will have a significantly higher average age […]

In wealthy nations across the world, population growth rates have rapidly declined from their peak in 1965. The reasons behind this are varied and rife with complications, as scientists still […]

The world of comedy hasn’t exactly been kind to scientists, but here are a couple of jokes in which math nerds get the last laugh.

Scientific estimates of Earth’s maximum capacity range in the thousands of billions, but here’s some troubling numbers we have confirmed: Earth’s 6.8 billion residents produce enough food to feed between […]

Each of us consumes energy at a rate roughly equivalent to a 100-watt bulb. But, given the amount of energy that goes into maintaining domestic farm animals, and the inanimate […]

Of Earth’s ice-free land, we have about 130 million square kilometers to work with, about 8% of which goes to creating foods that go directly to humans while another 30% […]

Humans exist in a “food web,” wherein we enjoy our familiar menu of plants, vegetables, animals and their by-products, etc; but what’s out there itching to get ahold of us…and […]

Global populations, economics, environments, cultures and human health all intersect in meat.

A Conversation with the mathematical biologist at Rockefeller University.

Doug Malewicki outlines some feasible game changing ideas in the realm of transportation.

Why government funding isn’t necessary to back up the scientist’s vision for the future of transportation.

Doug Malewicki’s Sky Tran invention is less expensive than a light rail system and incorporates many of the characteristics of the MagLev train.

Some of the Sky Tran’s key technologies can be applied to wind energy.

Picture this: you’re on your way to work, in a pod, going 100 miles per hour. Meet the Sky Tran.

A conversation with the President and Chief Scientist of AeroVisions Inc..

Congestion pricing in England’s capital has upped the share of travelers that are using public transportation.