What's The Anthropocene?
Have we entered a new age defined by humans? Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara says there's "no doubt" that humans' impact on Earth will show up in the geological record.
Brain Candy
Are We Headed Into Another Mass Extinction?
At various times, life on earth has come close to being erased. Paleontologist Peter Ward explains what we can learn from previous mass extinctions.
How Can Dinosaurs Help Us Understand Our Own Species?
Earth's rocks and fossils can help us understand our own species. Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara explains important moments in Earth's history that help us recognize our place in the world.
Rats That Reminisce May Lead To Better Tests For Alzheimer's Drugs
Most potential Alzheimer's drugs are tested on mice. But rats may be a better choice because they seem to have a type of memory that's more like ours, and also are highly vulnerable to Alzheimer's.
Bias Isn't Just A Police Problem, It's A Preschool Problem
A new study by researchers at Yale found that pre-K teachers, white and black alike, spend more time watching black boys, expecting trouble.
How A 'Sixth Sense' Helps Simone Biles Fly, And The Rest Of Us Walk
Scientists are finally beginning to understand proprioception, a sense that tells us where our body is in space. Much of what they've learned comes from two girls with a rare genetic disorder.
3,000-Year-Old Cooking Fail Found At A Danish Dig Site
Archaeologists have found the glassy remains of burnt cheese in an ancient pot. It seems trial and error is a timeless method to the madness of creating good food.
When It Comes To Our Politics, Family Matters
This week on Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam explores how unconscious ideas about the family shape the way we think about politics.
What Data Will Be Discovered By The World's Most Powerful Telescope?
Big Data is everywhere — even the skies. Astronomer Andrew Connolly shows how large amounts of data are being collected about our universe, and how it will help lead to new discoveries.
Can New Technology Decode The Biggest Data Set Of All?
Scientist Riccardo Sabatini says we have the technology to read the human genome and predict things like height, eye color, age — all from a vial of blood.