Video games have mostly featured male characters, but women are increasingly playing video games as well. Learn how the video game industry is changing to be more inclusive of female gamers.
Tag Archives: Culture & Society
This Is Your Brain on Summer
In this opinion piece, education expert Jeff Smink argues that enriching summer school programs will stymie learning loss and help students succeed.
What is peace?
Anthropologist Margaret Paxson writes about her struggle to quantify peace and ultimately argues that peace is knowable.
Caltech Researchers Ask: Is Risk-Taking Behavior Contagious?
Researchers at the Caltech Brain Imaging Center found that participants in a study were more likely to gamble when they saw peers doing so.
A Photographer Follows in Gandhi’s Footsteps
See photos retracing the route of Gandhi’s famous Salt March and learn about the photographer’s experience in this interview.
As We Seek Nature, We Wall It Out
Diane Ackerman contemplates the wildlife that creeps into our urban habitats.
U.S. immigrants get supersized
In 2011, researchers conducted a study to find out why people often gain weight after moving to the United States. They found that immigrants often choose unhealthy foods because they want to fit in to American culture.
When Does Adulthood Really Begin?
What is the biggest step toward becoming an adult? A poll taken in 2015 suggests that many people believe it has to do with financial independence.
Why Twitter Influences Cross-Cultural Engagement
Studies find that Americans increasingly segregate themselves, living and working mostly with people from similar backgrounds who hold similar beliefs. However, Twitter serves as a powerful tool for bringing together very different people and allowing them to share diverse viewpoints.
An Interview with Poet Patricia Smith
Patricia Smith harnesses the power of words in her work. In this interview, read about why Smith feels that poetry—especially when spoken aloud—has the power to change not only attitudes but also people’s lives.
How a book club is helping to keep ex-offenders from going back to jail
Reading books and writing poetry while in prison helped save Jimmy Santiago Baca from returning to a life of crime. A program in Washington, D.C., strives to make the same difference in the lives of prisoners.
Playing Nicely with Others: Why Schools Teach Social Emotional Learning
An increasing number of school districts are embracing the idea of explicitly teaching social skills. Why take time away from academic subjects? Because social-emotional skills help students learn better.
Before Rosa Parks, A Teenager Defied Segregation On An Alabama Bus
Meet Claudette Colvin, the teenager who inspired Rosa Parks.
Overpopulation, overconsumption – in pictures
See images from a new book documenting the ecological and social results of overpopulation and overconsumption throughout the world.
Group Working To Publicize 1867’s ‘Fourth Of July To Remember’
On Independence Day in 1867, an estimated 10,000 African Americans gathered in Lexington, Kentucky, to hear prominent civil rights leaders speak. Read this article for an account of the almost-forgotten event.
Ai Weiwei Alcatraz tour: Legos, protest songs and prison cells
Although detained in China for being critical of the Chinese government, Ai Weiwei still manages to create art supporting human rights and free speech. Read this photo essay about a visit to Alcatraz, a former military prison, and view Weiwei’s art made of Legos that speaks up for people from around the world who were imprisoned or exiled from their countries.
Why Are Dragons Important in Chinese Culture?
According to Chinese myths, dragons and humans lived side by side at one time. Learn why dragons are said to be protectors.
On Stephen Hawking, Vader, and Being More Machine Than Human
In this article, author and anthropologist Helene Mialet analyzes the relationship between humans and machines as it existed for scientist Stephen Hawking.
Property Brothers: Living the Dream
Selling hangers and buying a house for a $250 down-payment were two important decisions for the Property Brothers. They offer suggestions about how to make other decisions in your life.
How to Survive a Disaster
It’s hard to predict how we’ll react in a crisis until one occurs. Some people spring into action, while others freeze. Find out how you can prepare yourself to respond well when things go wrong.