Science & Technology

"The nineteenth century believed in science but the twentieth century does not." — Gertrude Stein

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  If Anything Can Happen, It Certainly Will

  Matthew Cobb reports from the Spirit of Asilomar, an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary biotechnology conference.

  Matthew CobbSep 12

  • Science & Technology

  • History

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  The Enemy of Aggression

  Zach Gibson revisits Michel Serres’s “Hermes” series by way of Randolph Burks’s new translation.

  Zach GibsonSep 11

  • Science & Technology

  • Philosophy & Religion

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  The Thing You’ve Been Saying Your Whole Life

  Julie Sedivy reviews Michael Erard’s “Bye Bye I Love You: The Story of Our First and Last Words.”

  Julie SedivySep 6

  • Cultural Studies

  • Science & Technology

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  Nature Red (40) in Tooth and Claw

  Alison Laurence reviews “Jurassic World Rebirth” in the context of de-extinction developments.

  Alison LaurenceAug 16

  • Science & Technology

  • Film

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  One Microbe, One Vote?

  Carl Abbott dives into Joan Slonczewski’s “Minds in Transit.”

  Carl AbbottAug 14

  • SF

  • Science & Technology

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  The Case for Pragmatic Progress

  Michela Massimi reflects on Philip Kitcher’s vision for the future in “The Rich and the Poor.”

  Michela MassimiAug 12

  • Philosophy & Religion

  • Science & Technology

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  Onto the Grayness

  Dashiel Carrera speaks with Christian Bök about his ongoing poetry project, “The Xenotext.”

  Dashiel CarreraAug 3

  • Poetry

  • Science & Technology

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  Mindless Machines, Mindless Myths

  Erik J. Larson thinks about “Mindless: The Human Condition in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” which traces Robert Skidelsky’s philosophical reckoning with AI, automation, and the illusion of progress.

  Erik J. LarsonAug 2

  • Science & Technology

  • Philosophy & Religion

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  “Abundance” Is Not the Answer

  Christopher F. Jones disagrees with large portions of Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s “Abundance”—in particular, the notion that we can “build” ourselves out of our national problems using technology.

  Christopher F. JonesJul 20

  • Science & Technology

  • Politics

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  The Private Fiefdom as Planetary Project

  Raymond Craib reviews five new books to show that we ignore “Freedom Cities” and proprietary states at our peril.

  Raymond CraibJul 11

  • Science & Technology

  • Politics

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  Murderous Genes and Criminal Brains

  In the ninth essay in the Legacies of Eugenics series, Oliver Rollins explores how the new biology of crime opens a backdoor to eugenics.

  Oliver RollinsJul 6

  • Science & Technology

  • Politics

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  The Novel as Revolutionary Instrument

  Holiday Dmitri interviews “Mars Review of Books” founder Noah Kumin about his first novel.

  Holiday DmitriJun 22

  • Fiction

  • Science & Technology