The natural and the social world shaped the evolution of each. Knowing whom to invite to dinner is as important as knowing ...

When someone asks “What makes someone a woman?” the answers usually fall into familiar camps. Some point to biology: chromosomes, anatomy, reproductive systems. Others say it’s about ...

Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper holding a tea mug on The Big Bang Theory - Michael Yarish/Warner Bros. Television The "Big Bang Theory" franchise has a somewhat complicated timeline, in part because the ...

Computer science, at its most fundamental, is all about inputs and outputs. Consider the simple case of multiplying two numbers on a pocket calculator. You punch in some inputs — the specific numbers ...

It’s rare for a dictionary to claim that a word has no definition. But that’s what Dictionary.com said about its recently announced word of the year: “67,” pronounced “six-seven,” the slang term that ...

In computer science, NP refers to problems where a solution can be verified quickly, even if finding that solution may take enormous time. This class has guided much of modern complexity theory. Its ...

Whether or not you’ve heard the term “queer theory,” it’s likely to have impacted some aspect of your life. Click through to learn what queer theory is, how it’s used, and who has been involved with ...

The paper towel theory is an analogy in which removing one sheet per day from a roll of paper towels symbolizes fat loss. It illustrates that although progress may be slow and difficult to notice ...

The invisible string theory follows the idea that you are connected to your soulmate via a metaphorical string. While this belief can provide hope and comfort, it can also lead to people staying in an ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. They say a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, but for computer scientists, two birds in a hole are better still. That’s because ...