Jul
24
Can ancient humans help save the planet?
A mesmerizing book set in a post-apocalyptic Ice Age suggests they can.
6 min read
books
May
21
We’re going to radically transform our cities — or abandon them
Cities have evolved dramatically throughout history, and we may be on the cusp of the next great urban transformation.
6 min read
May
08
How a biologist invented the fabled fauna in Jeff VanderMeer’s new eco-thriller
The two creatures at the heart of Hummingbird Salamander aren’t real—but a scientist created them by drawing on principles of biology and ecology.
5 min read
Jan
09
Will humans ever reverse climate change?
If all goes well for humanity, atmospheric carbon levels could start falling in a few decades. But how far down will we bring them?
5 min read
Dec
31
Five great things about 2020 (they were all books)
In an objectively awful year, good stories were more important than ever.
6 min read
Dec
04
A thought-provoking novel on the scariest response to climate change
Eliot Peper's science fiction thriller Veil explores the promise and peril of geoengineering.
4 min read
Oct
30
What necromancers in space can teach us about the science of death
From haunted space stations to medieval lecture halls, death science and death magic have crossed paths in surprising ways.
6 min read