Essay The night humans learned to sleep together May 15, 2026 Humans became one of the most successful species on Earth while doing something especially odd: we appear to sleep less than we should. Like鈥 lot less. Read More
Podcast The Light Between Apple Trees April 27, 2026 Priyanka Kumar takes us on a dazzling and transformative journey to rediscover apples, unearthing a rich and complex history while illuminating how we can reimagine our relationship with nature. Read More
Essay Publishing for planners: A new era for Island Press April 08, 2026 As the legendary legacy publisher transitions into a new life phase, publisher Heather Boyer and senior editor Stacy Eisenstark reflect on the past and the future of creating books for planners. Read More
Essay The human (or bat, or abalone) experience March 24, 2026 In 1974, philosopher Thomas Nagel published a now-famous paper titled 鈥淲hat is it Like to be a Bat?鈥�. By imagining how another species experiences the world, Nagel hoped to explore the the notion of consciousness itself. Read More
Essay Novel innovations and new spaces of possibility March 18, 2026 In 1901 Greek fishermen diving for sponges discovered a bronze device, long encrusted with sea life, buried in the wreck of an ancient Greek boat. This mechanism is far too sophisticated not to have been preceded by more primitive devices. Read More
Podcast Everything Evolves December 10, 2025 Mark Vellend describes how all observable phenomena in the universe can be understood through two sciences. The first is physics. The second is the science of evolvable systems. Read More
Interview Philippa Gander on Life in Sync November 05, 2025 All of life is profoundly shaped by the daily, monthly, and yearly cycles of our planet, and all creatures have internal timekeeping systems that rely on cues from the surrounding environment. Read More
Essay Growing old: The opportunity of burden September 25, 2025 A vibrant, ever-present elder force can act as a new role model to young people about what aging can and should look like鈥攁 corrective against ageist stereotypes and fears. When elders are better integrated into society, everyone benefits. Read More
Interview Ludovic Orlando on Horses September 18, 2025 Ludovic Orlando garnered world acclaim for helping to rewrite the genomic history of horse domestication. His book takes you behind the scenes of this ambitious genealogical investigation, revealing how he and an international team of scientists discovered the elusive origins of modern horses. Read More
Interview Mark Vellend on Everything Evolves August 11, 2025 Mark Vellend describes how all observable phenomena in the universe can be understood through two sciences. The first is physics. The second is the science of evolvable systems. Read More
Essay Get creative with the truth, or lose the war on medical science July 17, 2025 These are desperate times. Doublespeak dominates politics. Institutions that safeguard the truth are under siege. A firestorm of disinformation rages. Distrust of medical science thrives in the ashes. Read More
Podcast Sex Is a Spectrum June 18, 2025 Being human entails an astonishingly complex interplay of biology and culture, and while there are important differences between women and men, there is a lot more variation and overlap than we may realize. Read More
Video Jaap de Roode on the medical wonders of the animal world April 30, 2025 In this series of videos, Jaap de Roode聽introduces "Doctors by Nature" and answers questions about animal healing. Read More
Interview Laurence D. Hurst on The Evolution of Imperfection April 08, 2025 Laurence D. Hurst, author of The Evolution of Imperfection talks about how understanding our genetic imperfections can change our view of evolution and enrich what it means to be human. Read More
Interview Jaap de Roode on Doctors by Nature January 24, 2025 The use of medicinal drugs is often viewed as a uniquely human exercise. In Doctors by Nature, however, Jaap de Roode shows that many non-human animals also practice medicine. Read More
