Near-Death Experience
By Benjamin Wadowski
To this day, I have never killed another human being. But I […]
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Bored at Barnes & Noble
By Eve Armstrong
I was going to be an actor-and-playwright. This wasn’t some plan I […]
Read MoreThe Depressing Reality of the Narrative Self
By Alex Berardino
It is, unfortunately, a necessity when discussing items of a scientific nature […]
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The Key To Success? It’s Not What You Think
György Buzsáki couldn't put down László Barabási’s latest on how to succeed in business (or art or science), but the recipe is not what he'd hoped
Read MoreThe Roommates You Hate… But Can’t Live Without
Tanvi Butola squirms at the thought of countless microbes colonizing her home -- but Rob Dunn's engaging new book may convince her to throw out the Lysol
Read MoreThe Algorithms That Rule Your Life
Kate Storey-Fisher tours the miraculous but disturbing world of robot judges and self-driving cars in Hannah Fry's new book
Read MoreSex, Lies, and Women
Elizabeth Harris is fascinated by Wednesday Martin's iconoclastic view of female monogamy, but questions her conclusions
Read MoreCanary In The Climate Change Coal Mine
Lauren Oakes' ecological memoir leaves Mariyah Saiduddin sad but hopeful
Read MoreDid We Get It Wrong On GMOs?
Nicholas DelRose ponders author Mark Lynas’s journey from opponent to advocate
Read MorePilgrims In Another Dimension
Has physics gone off the deep end? Mark Wyman wades into the argument with Sabine Hossenfelder's new book
Read MoreAbandon All Hope
Qiuling Li accompanies Barbara Lipska on her hellish descent into mental illness, and her triumphant return.
Read MoreUrban Philosophy
Can smart cities be too smart? Susan Sheng ponders this and other urban studies quandaries in Richard Sennett's new book
Read MoreCherish the Albatross
Li Wang is enthralled by Adam Nicolson's plea for seabird conservation, but argues for a more nuanced approach
Read MoreIllustration by Angelika Manhart
This Scientific Life
Our contributors hail from all over the sciences — and all over the world. We’ll share what brought us to science, why we stay, and what makes us (occasionally) want to run away. There will be eureka moments, scientific screw-ups, advice to youngsters, peers, and elders, as well as whimsical stories about space exploration, fruit fly cognition, and how a neuron can live its best life.
Bored at Barnes & Noble
By Eve Armstrong
I was going to be an actor-and-playwright. This wasn’t some plan I […]
Read MoreThe Depressing Reality of the Narrative Self
By Alex Berardino
It is, unfortunately, a necessity when discussing items of a scientific nature […]
Read MoreInvoluntary Perfection Paralysis
By David Carmel
Those who suffer from this particular intellectual ailment seem unable to produce […]
Read MoreLabs Have Muses, Too!
By Niki Athanasiadou
“The process of doing science is like creating art!” I finally exclaimed, […]
Read MoreYou’re a first-generation graduate student—how do you succeed?
By Luendreo Barboza
My mother was born to a poor, illiterate but hard-working family in […]
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