How was the wheel invented? Computer simulations reveal the unlikely birth of a world-changing technology nearly 6,000 years ago

| Insights & Views

Imagine youre a copper miner in southeastern Europe in the year 3900 B.C.E. Day after day you haul copper ore through the mines sweltering tunnels. Youve resigned yourself to the grueling monotony of mining life. Then one...

We surveyed 1,500 Florida kids about cellphones and their mental health – what we learned suggests school phone bans may have important but limited effects

| Insights & Views

In Florida, a bill that bans cellphone use in elementary and middle schools, from bell to bell, recently sailed through the state Legislature. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law on May 30, 2025. The same bill calls for...

You’re probably richer than you think because of the safety net – but you’d have more of that hidden wealth if you lived in Norway

| Insights & Views

How wealthy are you? Like most people, you probably would do some math before answering this question. You would add up the money in your bank accounts, the value of your investments and any equity in a home you own, then...

Antagonism to transgender rights is tied to the authoritarian desire for social conformity – not just partisan affiliation

| Insights & Views

Since becoming president, Donald Trump has aggressively sought to fulfill his campaign promise to reverse the Biden administrations protection of transgender Americans. His administration decreed that the federal...

Politics based on grievance has a long and violent history in America

| Insights & Views

Recently, President Donald Trump declared that he is bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes. He hopes to make up for the removal of commemorative statues important to the Italians that love him so much. But Columbus Day...

How your air conditioner can help the power grid, rather than overloading it

| Insights & Views

As summer arrives, people are turning on air conditioners in most of the U.S. But if youre like me, you always feel a little guilty about that. Past generations managed without air conditioning do I really need it? And...

Family homesteads with tangled titles are contributing to rural America’s housing crisis

| Insights & Views

Imagine your parents leave you and your siblings a share of land thats been in your family for generations. Several of your relatives already live on the land, and youd like to do the same; but you cant get a loan to build...