Why more and more Americans are painting their lawns
The ideal of perfect turf – a weed-free, supergreen monoculture – is a relatively recent phenomenon.
April 11, 2023
324
Arts
A new femininity is starting to emerge in China
Contemporary beauty culture in China blends traditional Chinese culture with modern aesthetics and global influences.
April 10, 2023
362
'Swarm' is a dark, satirical look at how the absence of meaningful relationships can spawn a serial
What causes people to obsess over celebrities – to the point where they’re willing to do whatever it takes to make contact?…
April 5, 2023
345
Sex, love and companionship ... with AI? Why human-machine relationships could go mainstream
Early research finds that people get just about the same gratification from sexting with a chatbot as they do with another…
April 3, 2023
290
3D printing promises to transform architecture forever – and create forms that blow today's building
Not since the adoption of the steel frame has there been a development with as much potential to transform the way buildings…
March 30, 2023
648
As the global musical phenomenon turns 50, a hip-hop professor explains what the word 'dope' means t
As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop, a scholar of the culture and its musical genres explores…
March 30, 2023
619
Against baseball's new pitch clock
In between pitches, it might seem as if nothing is going on. But the game’s drama is still unfurling – you just need…
March 29, 2023
308
How 'Succession' feeds the hidden fantasies of its well-to-do viewers
Do the show’s fans secretly identify with the characters’ pursuit of power and pleasure?
March 23, 2023
295
Moving in with your partner? Talking about these 3 things first can smooth the way, according to a c
Discussing some key topics before – or even after – they move in together can help couples successfully navigate this…
March 22, 2023
564
In a Roman villa at the center of a nasty inheritance dispute, a Caravaggio masterpiece is hidden fr
What will happen to this villa and its unique collection of 16th- and 17th-century ceiling paintings?
March 21, 2023
266
Poisons are a potent tool for murder in fiction – a toxicologist explains how some dangerous chemica
From ‘Breaking Bad’ to James Bond, certain chemicals are popular options for characters looking to achieve nefarious…
March 21, 2023
471
Tennessee's drag ban rehashes old culture war narratives
Emphasizing threats to children is a well-worn refrain among those worried about the decline of American culture and values.
March 16, 2023
241
AI isn't close to becoming sentient – the real danger lies in how easily we're prone to anthropomorp
Our tendency to view machines as people and become attached to them points to real risks of psychological entanglement with…
March 15, 2023
540
What's the carbon footprint of March Madness?
All those Cinderella stories, buzzer-beating finishes and wild cheering sections have a high price tag – for the climate.
March 15, 2023
467
'Pantry porn' on TikTok and Instagram makes obsessively organized kitchens a new status symbol
Maybe you can’t have a designer kitchen. But you can still beautify your bulk food storage.
March 14, 2023
305
Vinyl record sales keep spinning and spinning – with no end in sight
Their popularity can’t be explained by the nostalgia of baby boomers or superior sound quality. So what’s going on?
March 13, 2023
331
Yes, #OscarsSoWhite – but there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate contemporary Black film
Big-name awards can certainly be a boon for Black filmmakers and actors. But they don’t reflect the breakthroughs that…
March 10, 2023
261
Pancakes won't turn you into a zombie as in HBO's 'The Last of Us,' but fungi in flour have been mak
Raw flour at the store still contains live microorganisms. And while cooking can kill the fungi, it doesn’t destroy any…
March 7, 2023
702
The cautionary tale of 'Dilbert'
Cartoonists throughout the nation’s history have been jailed, beaten, sued and censored his work rejected for what he’s…
March 2, 2023
430
Doc Watson at 100: The virtuoso guitarist brought Appalachian music to a worldwide audience and infl
Doc Watson’s popularity and influence came from his virtuosic guitar playing, powerful voice, broad musical taste, folksy…
February 28, 2023
338