September 2016
Issue 14: Evolution
The world's always changing, so you've got to change with it. That's at the heart of evolution: adaptation and keeping your head above water. We're embracing that spirit this month.
Find out about false facts, our war against bed bugs, theories of the universe, the origins of language, controversial psychology, and a lot more!
Cover illustration by Kirsty Ventura.
Editorial
Features
Our interpretation of the universe and our place in it has slowly evolved over time. From hollow wheels of mist to fiery gas bodies, we’ve come a long way in 2,600 years.
Human speech is an incredibly complex form of communication, but we are finally cracking the code and learning how it evolved.
Humanity hates nothing more than an insect that bites. But the dreaded bed bug keeps finding novel ways to fight back against our assaults.
Whether it’s forgetting feathers on dinosaurs, misconceptions about phases of the Moon, or growing resistance to antibiotics, sometimes false facts stick better than real ones.
The term 'evolutionary psychology' rings warning bells for some. But is it unwise to dismiss the concept as a legitimate reason for our behaviour?
Millions of people in well-educated countries reject the scientific consensus on evolution. Why is it so easy to doubt?
Articles
A new book by anthropologist Richard G. Bribiescas shows how evolution continues to shape human health and mortality.
The human body is constantly evolving alongside our microbiota, the community of microbes that live inside every one of us.
Columns
Comparing ourselves to our heroes is never easy, especially when that hero made physics cool in the 80s. Tim Newport explores how imitating our idols doesn’t necessarily lead to success.
At the Black Dog Institute, in Sydney, Australia, they aim to catch people before they fall. Who wouldn't help out if they had the chance?
Like evolution, life runs on pressure, pushing and pulling us in different directions. Would a world without tension even work at all?