Cognition
Stop Asking If the Universe Is a Computer Simulation
We will never know if we live in a computer simulation; here is a more interesting question
Opinion
Renewable Energy
There’s a Better Way to Mine for Electric Vehicle Batteries
We do not want to trade the harm of emissions from gasoline vehicles for the harm caused by unsustainable mining practices
Culture
Editors’ Picks: Our Favorite Opinions of 2023
As 2023 comes to a close, we look back at a year of poignant commentary on space, politics, climate, artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and health—and the ways we explore the human experience...
Medicine
The Human Body Is Bags, Bags and More Bags
Your brain might be like a computer, and your digestive system like a tube, but in the end, your whole body is just a bag full of bags
Computing
The Most Important Unsolved Problem in Computer Science
Here’s a look at the million-dollar math problem at the heart of computation
Pharmaceuticals
How Two Pharmacists Figured Out That Decongestants Don’t Work
A loophole in FDA processes means older drugs like the ones in oral decongestants weren’t properly tested. Here’s how we learned the most popular one doesn’t work
Behavior
Black Children Who Speak African American English Are Routinely Misdiagnosed with Speech Disorders
Segregation has given rise to a distinct African American English. Speech professionals must recognize it to avoid misdiagnosing Black children and wasting valuable educational resources...
Artificial Intelligence
Tech Billionaires Need to Stop Trying to Make the Science Fiction They Grew Up on Real
Today’s Silicon Valley billionaires grew up reading classic American science fiction. Now they’re trying to make it come true, embodying a dangerous political outlook
Behavior
I Worked in Antarctica for Three Years. My Sexual Harasser Was Never Caught
Hundreds of support staff keep Antarctic research stations running. For decades, workers including me have had little to no protection from sexual harassers and stalkers
Medicine
People with Sickle Cell Deserve More Respect from Health Care Providers
New CRISPR-based treatments for sickle cell disease bring hope, but medical providers still marginalize people with this condition far too often
