WEIRD ANTHROPOLOGY Archives - Page 4 of 103

What the Declaration of Independence does – and doesn’t – say about God

A Croome & Brightly engraving shows John Nixon reading the Declaration of Independence after its passage in Philadelphia. From The New York Public Library via Wikimedia Commons – By Thomas Tweed, Professor Emeritus of American Studies and History, University of Notre Dame Published: 2026 …

Boom in cremation hides surprising truths about what Americans really want when they die

A striking 51.7% of Gen Z respondents ranked casket burial as their first choice, compared with just 27.1% of baby boomers. Ashley Cooper/The Image Bank via Getty Images – By Tanya D. Marsh, Professor of Law, Wake Forest University Published: 2026 Apr 24 – …

Rotavirus cases in children are rising – but a highly effective vaccine has slashed hospitalizations from the virus by 80% in 2 decades

One of rotavirus infection’s main symptoms is diarrhea, which can lead to severe dehydration that needs to be treated in the hospital. hxyume/E+ via Getty Images – By Annette Regan, Adjunct Associate Professor of Epidemiology, University of California, Los Angeles Published: 2026 Apr 22 …

Placebo effect can work as well as real medicine – but your body may need permission to use it

From empty pills to homeopathy to sham surgery, placebos have powerful effects on the body. Irina Marwan/Moment via Getty Images – By Phil Starks, Associate Professor of Biology, Tufts University Published: 2026 Apr 21 – The first time the placebo effect really got …

Intimate partner homicide has clear warning signs – and is often preventable, research shows

Taking away access to firearms is one of the few effective interventions for reducing intimate partner homicide. Nastco/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Kathryn Spearman, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Penn State Published: 2026 Apr 20 – Dr. Cerina Wanzer Fairfax was an accomplished …

As renaissance fairs become big business, can they retain their counterculture roots?

King Richard’s Faire in Carver, Mass., was inaugurated in 1982 and is the longest-running renaissance fair in New England. Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images – By Katrina Stack, Ph.D. Candidate in Human Geography, University of Tennessee And by Reagan Yessler, Adjunct Professor …

A giant cat has made itself at home inside Hong Kong’s airport

Even arriving bleary-eyed at midnight, there was no missing “Catzilla.” New Atlas – By Bronwyn Thompson 2026 Apr 15 – Passengers landing at Hong Kong International Airport this month will be greeted by a surprise friend waiting for them in the arrivals hall – …

Sub-1-oz survival straw is as simple as dunk and sip

Lifestraw’s lightest water filter to date, the Sip Essential is as simple as dunk and sip. Lifestraw – By C.C. Weiss 2026 Apr 15 – Lifestraw is at it again. The company has made some of the world’s lightest, slimmest wilderness survival filters for …

When a president is unfit for office, here’s what the Constitution says can happen

President Donald Trump mimics an Iranian protester being shot while holding a news conference in the White House on 2026 Apr 06. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images – By Kirsten Matoy Carlson, Professor of Law and Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Wayne State …

Psilocybin mushrooms are going mainstream, but scientific research and regulation lag behind

Psilocybin mushrooms contain numerous chemical compounds that researchers have not yet studied. Smitt/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Hollis Karoly, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus And by Kent Hutchison, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus …