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The bone outline of a skull is seen in relief where excavated on a cave floor

Rituals and celebrations

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Digging for answers in a cave filled with Neanderthal skeletons

When a team of researchers returned to an Iraqi cave believed to be a Neanderthal burial site, here’s what they found

by Shayla Love

Futuristic painting with diverse people on a hill overlooking a cityscape blending nature, ancient monuments and advanced tech.

Human evolution

idea

Let everyone sparkle: psychotechnology in the year 2067

In the year 2067, the decorations are not the only things that sparkle. We ourselves glow and fizz with psychotechnology

by Eric Schwitzgebel

Photo of a snowy mountain landscape with a sunlit frozen lake, clear blue sky and snow-covered trees on the right.

The body and physical health

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We’re children of ice and snow. Can we survive the coming heat?

Temperature is more than a number; it’s an experience of our flesh. How will our bodies cope with an ever-warmer planet?

by Robert Frodeman & Mark Bullock

Photo of women working with plants indoors, foreground woman in green engages in sign language with another person.

Communication and language

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Humans’ gift for charades helps explain the origin of language

How did humans create the earliest words? Iconic vocal sounds, which match form and meaning, likely played a key role

by Marcus Perlman

Photo of a man in a yellow jacket wearing smart glasses, standing amidst a dark crowd with light on his face.

Human evolution

idea

Our evolved intuitions about privacy aren’t made for this era

Our emotional responses evolved in a very different world. In the online era, that makes us more vulnerable to privacy risks

by Joe Green & Azim Shariff

Abstract image of a silhouette against blue light with blurred text in the background, digital art.

Sleep and dreams

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What dream characters reveal about the astonishing dreaming brain

Such stuff as dreams are made on: the characters who populate your dreams have their own minds, separate from yours

by Antonio Zadra

Painting of a serene rural landscape with cows grazing at sunset, a church spire, trees and fields in the background.

Human evolution

idea

Why it took us thousands of years to see the colour violet

The colour violet was largely missing from art before the Impressionists, and is seen differently by different cultures. Why?

by Allen Tager

Retro photo of a waitress serving pizza to a smiling couple seated at a table with beer and glasses.

Cooperation and collaboration

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If smiles are so easy to fake, why do we trust them?

Smiles can be a way to dupe people because they’re easy to fake – but we’ve figured out which smiles can be trusted

by Alexander Danvers

Photo of a rugged cliff edge with two people in the distance, overlooking a misty landscape under a cloudy sky.

Nature and the environment

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Why awesome natural beauty drops the jaw and lifts the spirit

Experiencing awe in nature can transform our sense of connectedness to other people and help maintain a spiritual vitality

by T Ryan Byerly

Black and white photo of a busy underground station with people and a train on the platform.

Difficult emotions

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Most anguish isn’t an illness but an evolved response to adversity

An anthropological view shows us that the root causes of depression and anxiety are usually social conflict and adversity

by Kristen Syme & Edward H Hagen

Painting of early hominids using tools in a rocky landscape with scattered animal skulls and a distant horizon.

Human nature

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Do humans really have a killer instinct or is that just manly fancy?

The killer-instinct idea achieved such cultural power because it came embedded in gripping stories about human nature

by Nadine Weidman

Ivory sculpture of a lion-human figure shown from three angles on a black background.

Creativity

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Our greatest invention was the invention of invention itself

Hypothetical thinking is the key to sustained innovation and creativity: invention drove the evolution of the human mind

by Keith Frankish