Henry Cowell’s One True Desire
To “live in the whole world of music” was all the influential, experimental composer wanted—and did, even while imprisoned at San Quentin.
Inside China’s Psychoboom
In Learning to Love, linguistic and medical anthropologist Sonya Pritzker examines the efficacy of group therapy in contemporary China.
Half Past Dementia
Drawing a clock has become a standard test of cognitive impairment, but there’s no consensus on who should do it or how.
Artificial Intelligence: An AI-Generated Reading List
ChatGPT generated this annotated bibliography for us. Don't worry, we'll ask (and pay) a human to write one too.
The Horror!
If Dracula represented the collective fears of his day, what do the likes of Slender Man and other internet monsters tell us about the zeitgeist of right now?
Betting on the Longshot
Researchers consistently observe that longshot horses are overvalued by bettors at the racetrack. Why are they willing to risk it all?
How Veterans Created PTSD
Now a cultural staple, PTSD is a newer diagnosis. How have conceptions of trauma morphed and what does it mean for US institutions and society?
Why Do We Listen to Sad Music?
Scientists investigate the emotional and physical effects of sad music, in an ongoing quest to explain the "paradox of pleasurable sadness."
Ditch the Smartphone and Smell the Roses This Valentine’s Day
Digital detox services may be just as important for your health as a chemical detoxification
In Celebration of Lost Words
At some point in their lexical histories, lost words' original meanings died and have been revived into a mere semblance of their former selves.