Cultural context gives science much of its meaning and importance. So we write a lot about the interplay between science and culture. Hey, its in our name.
by Barbara J. King
Recent anthropological research raises questions about whether our sedentary lifestyle contributes significantly to the obesity epidemic. Commentator Barbara J. King looks at the data and has thoughts on what it means for the Paleo diet.
by Alva Noë
Commentator Alva Noë enters the Encyclopedic Palace at this year's Venice Biennale and finds it short on art, ideas and engagement. What was the curator thinking? But it's not all bad news. The Biennale is sprawling and there is much to enjoy, if you know where to look
by Barbara J. King
Higher education is not immune to prejudice, a statement seemingly confirmed by a university professor's tweet denigrating the academic skills of obese people. The result has been a powerful online debate. Yet the question still remains, what should be done about unwarranted bias against obese people?
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by Adam Frank
Given the resistance that has grown in this country to any form of science that treads too closely to someone's cherished ideology, celebrating science for the gift that it is with a big, honking festival seems like a good idea, says commentator Adam Frank.
by Alva Noë
Commentator Alva Noë is taken by the work of Tino Sehgal at the 2013 Venice Art Biennale. It's hard to explain, but in the end he concludes that we do not stand apart from art. We are engaged with art in ways that we don't always expect.
by Alva Noë
To understand the origin of traits, you need, in effect, to look at how we think and feel about the traits we have. What we are is fixed, in part, by us. That was one of the thoughts prompted by commentator Alva Noë's arrival in Istanbul this week.
by Alva Noë
Songs, like all art, can take on a life of their own once they are thrust into the public domain. Their meanings can shift substantially, something commentator Alva Noë experienced recently during a school music recital.
by Adam Frank
Dark detective tales never get old. It's the same old story every time, even when events take place off world and the people are nothing more than machines. It's a form we love to relive and revive with every generation, says commentator Adam Frank.
by Alva Noë
The work of the Dutch master Johannes Vermeer has long puzzled the art world. Some of his pieces just don't quite fit. They're a little off. What gives? Author Benjamin Binstock has an idea, an idea that commentator Alva Noë finds appealing.
by Barbara J. King
Does the breathless excitement seen in media coverage of Amanda Knox amount to sexism? Commentator Barbara J. King argues 'yes' and says its part of an age-old pattern in human culture.
by Adam Frank
There was a time when superheroes confined themselves to the pages of comic books piled up in a kids room. Now they're on the big screen and in the mainstream of pop culture. Commentator Adam Frank says there are winners and losers in this transformation.
by Barbara J. King
Like many parents around the world, some moms and dads in Brooklyn are choosing to raise their children without using any diapers. How does this work and does it make any sense? Commentator Barbara J. King checks in with anthropologist Meredith Small, who embraces the idea with enthusiasm.
by Barbara J. King
A performance of Mozart's Requiem has commentator Barbara J. King thinking about the ways humans grieve. Of all species on Earth, we alone mourn across time and space for people we have never met.
by Tania Lombrozo
For US VegWeek 2013, commentator Tania Lombrozo digs into the paradox of people who love meat but don't love the idea of harming animals. Is there a way out? One place to start is the 7-day VegPledge.
by Barbara J. King
A study out last week analyzes charred food remains in Japanese pottery dated to 15,000 years ago. Results show that hunter-gatherers in Japan cooked fish in the pots, a finding commentator Barbara J. King says adds new depth to our comprehension of the complexity in human prehistory, even before farming.
