The Best of Knowable Magazine
10+ most popular Knowable Magazine articles, as voted by our community.
Sound science, smart stories. Published by @AnnualReviews, seed funding @MooreFound/@SloanPublic. Léanos en español @RevistaKnowable.
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How heat pumps of the 1800s are becoming the technology of the future
Innovative thinking has done away with problems that long dogged the electric devices — and both scientists and environmentalists are excited about the possibilities
Covid, RSV and the flu: A case of viral interference?
The ‘tripledemic’ unfolding this winter is one of several odd trends among respiratory virus infections these last years. Viruses, it turns out, can block one another and take turns to dominate.
Knowable Magazine on Climate Crisis
The road to low-carbon concrete
For thousands of years, humanity has had a love affair with cement and concrete. But now, industry groups and researchers are seeking solutions to the huge amounts of carbon dioxide that cement-making…
Mistletoes in a warming world
Can the famous parasitic plants help animals to survive climate change, or will they be killed off by extreme weather?
Knowable Magazine on Health
Could getting rid of old cells turn back the clock on aging?
Researchers are investigating medicines that selectively kill decrepit cells to promote healthy aging — but more work is needed before declaring them a fountain of youth
Inside the brains of aging dogs
In a citizen science project, thousands of pet dogs are helping scientists to understand what happens to memory and cognition in old age
Knowable Magazine on Longevity
Bee gold: Honey as a superfood
From pesticide detox to increased longevity, the benefits of the sweet stuff go well beyond simply nourishing the hardworking insects in the hive
Knowable Magazine on Nature
City birds are changing their tune
Several species of urban-dwelling birds have modified their songs in response to human-generated noise
The evolution of whales from land to sea
The genomes of cetaceans help tell the story of mammals who returned to the life aquatic
Knowable Magazine on Neuroscience
Color is in the eye, and brain, of the beholder
The way we see and describe hues varies widely for many reasons: from our individual eye structure, to how our brain processes images, to what language we speak, or even if we live near a body of…
Knowable Magazine on Wine
Climate change is altering the chemistry of wine
Warming, wildfires and unpredictable weather threaten to disrupt the delicate processes that underlie treasured wines. Researchers and producers are innovating to keep ahead.
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The science of a wandering mind
More than just a distraction, mind-wandering (and its cousin, daydreaming) may help us prepare for the future
«Is mind-wandering the same thing as daydreaming, or would you say those are different?»
Evolution Didn’t Wire Us for Eight Hours of Sleep
Chimps sleep nine hours a night. Cotton-top tamarins sleep about 13. What happened to humans?
The lasting anguish of moral injury
Psychologists are finding that moral code violations can leave an enduring mark — and may require new types of therapy
There are more active volcanoes than you think
OPINION: Volcanologists warn that magma-filled vents evolve over time, leading to an underestimation of the number that might erupt — especially those capable of the biggest explosions
Our ancestors ate a Paleo diet. It had carbs.
There is no one prehistoric meal plan. A modern hunter-gatherer group known as the Hadza has taught researchers surprising things about the highly variable menu consumed by humans past.
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