Behavior
There’s No Good Evidence That Psychedelics Can Change Your Politics or Religion
The balance of data don’t support the idea, and claims otherwise could lead to alarmism
Behavior4226 articles archived since 1845
Behavior
In the Early Americas, Female Hunters Pursued Big Game, Study Suggests
Millennia-old burial sites show equal-opportunity hunting roles might have been commonplace
Behavior
Conservative and Liberal Brains Might Have Some Real Differences
Scanners try to watch the red-blue divide play out underneath the skull
Behavior
How Weight Bias May Affect Dogs and Their Owners
Dog and owner body weight can influence veterinarians’ perceptions
Policy
Election Science Stakes: Technology
We wrap up our preelection series with Scientific American senior editor Jen Schwartz, who talks about the possible effects of the election results on technology development and use.&..
Behavior
Researchers' Politics Don't Undermine Their Scientific Results
A new study finds no serious evidence of a liberal (or conservative) bias with respect to replicability, quality or impact of research
Behavior
Why Hatred and ‘Othering’ of Political Foes Has Spiked to Extreme Levels
The new political polarization casts rivals as alien, unlikable and morally contemptible
Behavior
Media Multitasking Disrupts Memory, Even in Young Adults
Simultaneous TV, texting and Instagram lead to memory-sapping attention lapses
Culture
Why Some Easter Island Statues Are Where They Are
Many of the statues not along the coast are in places that featured a resource vital to the communities that lived and worked there.
Behavior
The Psychology of Fact-Checking
Fact-checkers aim to get closer to the truth, but their biases can shroud the very truth they seek
Behavior
Acorn Woodpeckers Fight Long, Bloody Territorial Wars
More than 40 of the birds, in coalitions of three or four, may fight for days over oak trees in which to store their acorns.
Behavior
The Disturbing History of Research into Transgender Identity
Research into the determinants of gender identity may do more harm than good
Behavior
A Medical Student Contemplates Pandemic-Era Isolation—and Connection
An open letter
Computing
Social Media Restrictions Cannot Keep Up with Hidden Codes and Symbols
Much like spoken language, Internet memes take on shifting political meanings according to context
Behavior
When Will Football Stadiums Look Normal Again?
Professional and college teams alike need to get fans back in the stands in droves—as long as they can keep everyone safe
Cognition
Hypnosis Experts Cast Doubt on Famous Psychological Experiments
Suggestibility may explain why people “feel” vicarious pain or sensation in a fake hand
Behavior
Resist Misinformation, Watch Birds and Remember Plagues
Our November issue features space wars, a mysterious disorder of mind and brain, and past pandemics
Behavior
How the Best Forecasters Predict Events Such as Election Outcomes
Research reveals techniques that boost accuracy
Behavior
Presidential Debates Have Shockingly Little Effect on Election Outcomes
The upcoming debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump may be one of the least consequential in decades, experts say
Behavior
Neuroscience and Psychology Suggest No Surprise Victory for Trump This Time
His inflammatory appeals are less likely to activate the same decision-making circuits as in 2016
