Intelligence was once thought to be uniquely human. But researchers have discovered astonishing cognitive abilities in many other species—not just our close cousins like chimps, or fellow mammals like dolphins—but …

What makes Mona Lisa’s smile so intriguing? What makes Picasso’s portraits so compelling? Kurt Andersen hosts artists Chuck Close and Devorah Sperber, with neuroscientists Margaret Livingstone, Chris Tyler and Ken Nakayama, as they examine the power of brain imaging technology to illuminate how we perceive the most intimate yet public of features, the human face.

Recent breakthroughs in dating ancient samples of DNA and human remains have led to a radical reassessment of human origins. At least ten other early human groups–some with the cognitive capacity to make …

The neutrino is among the cagiest of particles, a subatomic wisp so ephemeral it could pass through light years of lead with more ease than a hot knife through butter.

Astronauts who’ve lived on the International Space Station and “walked” in space tell all: what it’s like to ride on a space ship, and to eat, sleep, exercise, and even do science—in space.

Leading researchers in the arena of human enhancement are turning-back the clock by reopening “critical windows” for cognitive and physical development that until recently seemed to permanently close after childhood. Brian …