Why Some People Always Get Lost—And Others Never Do
Experience may matter more than innate ability when it comes to a sense of direction
Stories by Knowable Magazine
Earth Is Drowning in Plastic. Can an International Treaty Help?
A marine scientist discusses the problem of plastic pollution and her hopes for an international treaty to tackle it
Why Isn't Dental Health Considered Primary Medical Care?
Ailments of the mouth can put the body at risk for a slew of other ills. Some practitioners think dentistry should no longer be siloed
Moving Trees North Could Save Forests from a Changing Climate
"Assisted migration" could help sustain productive forests in the face of warming habitats
New Linguistics Technique Could Reveal Who Spoke the First Indo-European Languages
Linguists and archaeologists have argued for decades about where and when the first Indo-European languages were spoken and what kind of lives those first speakers led
Here’s the Happiness Research that Stands Up to Scrutiny
From meditation to smiling, researchers take a second look at studies claiming to reveal what makes us happy
A Comic Guide to the Evolution of Ancient Cells into Complex Brains
“The anus was a prerequisite for intelligence” said one biologist
See-Through Wood Is Stronger Than Plastic and Tougher Than Glass
Transparent wood material is being exploited for smartphone screens, insulated windows, and more
The Genetics of Why You Look Like Your Great Aunt Mildred
Untangling the genetics that underlie facial features
Kākāpō Parrots Are Flightless, Adorable and Making a Comeback
DNA sequencing, GPS tracking and tailored diets are slowly restoring New Zealand's endangered kākāpō
Psychopathic Tendencies Help Some People Succeed in Business
Traits in psychopaths may be present to some extent in all of us. New research is reframing this often maligned set of attributes and finding some positive twists
Ultracold Gases Can Probe Neutron Star Guts
Earth-based analogs are opening new frontiers in studies of the superdense interiors of neutron stars
After COVID-19, Can mRNA Vaccines Help with Cancer as Well?
The COVID pandemic put mRNA technology, long in development, to the test. Here’s a look at how it might fight cancer and when it might reach patients
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 water
Making Computer Chips Act More like Brain Cells
Flexible organic circuits that mimic biological neurons could increase processing speed and might someday hook right into your head
Heated Debate Persists over the Origins of Complex Cells
Were mitochondria a driving evolutionary force or just a late addition?
Mapping the Brain to Understand the Mind
New technology is enabling neuroscientists to make increasingly detailed wiring diagrams that could yield new insights into brain function
Urban Evolution: How Species Adapt to Survive in Cities
Evolution in cities illuminates long-standing scientific questions and climate change futures
Lyme and Other Tick-borne Diseases Are on the Rise—But Why?
The complex interplay of tick ecology, land use and climate may be enabling the spread of the pathogens the arachnids carry
How Racism in Early Life Can Affect Long-Term Health
Excessive adversity activates biological reactions that can lead to lifelong problems in physical and mental well-being
The Ups and Downs of a Great Vertical Migration
Research is shedding light on why many water dwellers, from plankton to large fish, commute daily from the depths to the surface
Could Mitochondria Be the Key to a Healthy Brain?
Some researchers suspect these bacterial ancestors living within our cells may contribute to a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders
A Healthy Environment as a Human Right
U.N. recognition would strengthen legal arguments for preserving nature
New Technologies Could Protect Against Arsenic Toxicity in Water
Filters in household faucets and genetic technology could help reduce this public health threat, biologist Rebecca Fry says