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How We Won the Hominid Wars, and All the Others Died Out
The unique adaptability of Homo sapiens is what allowed us to survive when so many other species died out, paleoanthropologist Rick Potts contends. 02.23.2012
#59: The Mismeasure of Stephen Jay Gould
Looking deeper into Stephen Jay Gould's claims has revealed he was guilty of the same sins he decried in others. 01.03.2012
Monkeys & Morality
The institutions of science are slowly unwinding and assessing the problems that have been revealed in psychologist Marc Hauser's research. 06.20.2011
Who's Smarter, a Human or a Computer? Round 9: Jeopardy
As IBM's supercomputer prepares to face off against Jeopardy champions tonight, we count the ways that humans can still out-think our computational creations—for now. 02.14.2011
The 100 Top Science Stories of 2010
Every year DISCOVER sorts through the scientific accomplishments of the past 12 months, and assembles a list of the coolest experiments, most brilliant discoveries, and most world-changing events. As you page through the countdown to the #1 science story, we think you'll come to the same conclusion we did: 2010 was quite a year. 12.16.2010
Did We Mate With Neanderthals, or Did We Murder Them?
In some places, we ate them. More generally, modern humans' more varied lifestyle may have been the key to the survival. 12.30.2009
#58: Orangutans Use Tool to Lower the Sound of Their Voices
By putting leaves between their lips, the apes apparently make themselves sound bigger and more threatening. 12.29.2009
Monkey See, Monkey Do, Monkey Connect
The most profound bonds between people begin in our bodies with imitation and synchronized movements. 11.19.2009
Unearthing the Mayan Creation Myth
Researchers find that the tale of the "Hero Twins" goes back more than 2,000 years. 05.16.2009
The Biocentric Universe Theory: Life Creates Time, Space, and the Cosmos Itself
Stem-cell guru Robert Lanza presents a radical new view of the universe and everything in it. 05.01.2009
The Big Similarities & Quirky Differences Between Our Left and Right Brains
A broken symmetry from our evolutionary heritage is part of what makes us human. 04.15.2009
How Can You Tell If Your IM Buddy Is Really a Machine?
Hint: Ask it about Sarah Palin. 03.23.2009
Darwin's Dystopias: Ghastly Visions Inspired by Evolution
A new collection of art shows how one scientist shocked the world. 02.12.2009
Think Animals Don't Think Like Us? Think Again
One extraordinary parrot helped shatter our preconceptions about animal intelligence. 01.20.2009
What Makes You Uniquely "You"?
Nobel laureate Gerald Edelman says your brain is one-of-a-kind in the history of the universe. 01.16.2009
Is Quantum Mechanics Controlling Your Thoughts?
Science's weirdest realm may be responsible for photosynthesis, our sense of smell, and even consciousness itself. 01.13.2009
#8: Cavemen: They're Just Like Us
Neanderthals were a sophisticated bunch, according to new research. 12.21.2008
#30: Magpies Recognize Themselves in the Mirror
The birds pass the test for "rudimentary sense of self." 12.17.2008
#36: Creationism Lurks in Public High Schools
One in six teachers say they believe the earth is 6,000 years old. 12.15.2008
#56: Memory Training Can Make You Smarter
Your intelligence isn't just what you're born with. 12.11.2008
#58: Smart People Are Better Able to Keep a Beat
Good neural functioning is good neural functioning. 12.11.2008
#71: Slime Molds Show Surprising Degree of Intelligence
A creature with no brain can learn from and even anticipate events. 12.09.2008
He Found the Innate Humanity in the Human Brain
“Noam Chomsky’s position in the history of ideas is comparable to that of Darwin or Descartes.” 12.01.2008
The Man Who Found That "Genes Hold Culture on a Leash"
Edward O. Wilson looked at ants and made fundamental discoveries about humans. 11.17.2008
Are Humans Really Any Different from Other Animals?
Our language capabilities, cultures, and abstract thinking aren't as unique as we'd like to think. 08.12.2008
Laughter May Outlive Humans—and Even Numbers
Chimps and orangutans agree: Humor is truly fundamental. 06.27.2008
Chimps Agree: A Bird in Hand Is Worth Two in the Bush
Chimpanzees are downright conservative when it comes to trading for better food. 05.14.2008
The Extinct Human Species That Was Smarter Than Us
The superintelligent Boskops had small, childlike faces and huge melon heads. 03.21.2008
84. Chimps Show Altruistic Streak
01.15.2008
80. Robots Evolve And Learn How to Lie
01.14.2008
Consciousness in a Cockroach
The insect nervous system provides clues to attention, consciousness, and the origin of the brain. 01.10.2007
Blinded by Science: The Last Days of Gossip
When everyone knows everything, what will be the point? 08.01.2006
Sex
For better or worse, sex chromosomes are linked to human intelligence 10.24.2005
Counting Without Numbers
03.09.2005
53: Oldest University Unearthed in Egypt
01.02.2005
Whose Life Would You Save?
Scientists say morality may be hardwired into our brains by evolution 04.21.2004
The Gene That Made Us Human
Scientists decode a critical gene that may have led to the evolution of our big brains 03.04.2004
NeuroQuest
Why your brain doesn't always make the right decision 02.05.2004
Writing on the Half Shell
08.01.2003
Emotions and the Brain: Fear
Recent research shows that when something bad happens to you, part of your brain begins thinking independently, storing its own memories so it can save you next time. That worked fine a million years ago 03.01.2003
Human Origins
01.01.2003
Brains Keep a-Truckin'
09.01.1999
Men Are Cheaters
07.01.1999
A Head for Numbers
Everybody has one--even rats and pigeons, to say nothing of people. The ability to grasp small numbers and map them onto a number line in the brain is an evolutionary birthright of ours. Arithmetic, of course, is another matter. 07.01.1997
A Brain That Talks
Our brains are much like those of our primate cousins, so where did we get our uniquely human gift of speech? One human says we simply rewired brain structures devoted to a different, more general primate specialty--vision. 06.01.1996
Tooling Through the Trees
11.01.1995
Writing Right
Some written languages are a precise reflection of a people's speech, while others, like english, are a complete mess. Is this alphabetical evolution? Or the unequal application of logic to literacy? 06.01.1994
Nerds of a Feather
09.01.1993
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