Science & Technology

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

Why “Hallucination”? Examining the History, and Stakes, of How We Label AI’s Undesirable Output
Joshua Pearson examines the history of the term “hallucination” in the development and promotion of AI technology.
Joshua PearsonMay 18, 2024
How Anecdotes Sell Drugs: On the 30th Anniversary Edition of Peter Kramer’s “Listening to Prozac”
Andrew Scull critiques the cultural influence of Peter Kramer’s 1993 book “Listening to Prozac.”
Andrew ScullMay 16, 2024
- Nonfiction
- Science & Technology
Dirty Digits and “Pleasant Landscapes”: On Jason A. Heppler’s “Silicon Valley and the Environmental Inequalities of High-Tech Urbanism”
After reading Jason A. Heppler’s “Silicon Valley and the Environmental Inequalities of High-Tech Urbanism,” Patrick McCray decides that Silicon Valley should really be called Arsenic Valley.
W. Patrick McCrayApr 23, 2024
“D Is for Despair” Didn’t Sound So Good: A Conversation Between Bill McKibben and Elizabeth Kolbert
For Earth Day, Bill McKibben speaks with Elizabeth Kolbert about climate change and her new book “H Is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z.”
Bill McKibbenApr 22, 2024
What Scientists Can’t See: On Adam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser, and Evan Thompson’s “The Blind Spot”
Robert P. Crease reviews Adam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser, and Evan Thompson’s “The Blind Spot: Why Science Cannot Ignore Human Experience.”
Robert P. CreaseApr 20, 2024
- Philosophy & Religion
- Science & Technology
Legacies of Eugenics: An Introduction
In the first of a series, Osagie K. Obasogie explores the history and persistence of eugenics in science, medicine, and elsewhere.
Osagie K. ObasogieApr 17, 2024
Misinformed Care: On Uché Blackstock’s “Legacy” and Constance Hilliard’s “Ancestral Genomics”
Naa Oyo A. Kwate lauds Uché Blackstock’s grounded memoir about racism in medicine and denounces Constance Hilliard’s genetic explanation for Black health disparities.
Naa Oyo A. KwateApr 16, 2024
The Eyes Have It: On Eugene M. Helveston’s “Death to Beauty”
Arvind Dilawar reviews Eugene M. Helveston’s “Death to Beauty: The Transformative History of Botox.”
Arvind DilawarMar 30, 2024
Our Not-Yet-Realized Almanac of the Future: On Veer Books’ “Corroding the Now” Anthology
David Shipko reviews Veer Books’ new anthology “Corroding the Now: Poetry + Science/SF.”
David ShipkoMar 22, 2024
Rock-Fuel and Warlike People: On Mitch Troutman’s “The Bootleg Coal Rebellion”
In an essay that takes off from Mitch Troutman’s “The Bootleg Coal Rebellion: The Pennsylvania Miners Who Seized an Industry,” native son Jonah Walters finds something entirely too innocent about the tales told about the anthracite industry’s origins.
Jonah WaltersMar 21, 2024
Animals as the Beating Heart of the Planet: On Joe Roman’s “Eat, Poop, Die”
In Joe Roman’s “Eat, Poop, Die: How Animals Make Our World,” Ferris Jabr finds a compelling account of important scientific insights.
Ferris JabrMar 16, 2024
- Nonfiction
- Science & Technology
Timothy Leary Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: On Benjamin Breen’s “Tripping on Utopia”
Timothy Leary sucked the revolutionary potential out of psychedelic science, concludes Kim Adams after reading Benjamin Breen’s “Tripping on Utopia: Margaret Mead, the Cold War and the Troubled Birth of Psychedelic Science.”
Kim AdamsFeb 21, 2024