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Our modern world was built on horseback. Just decades ago these beasts of burden carried soldiers into battle, helped to deliver mail, powered farming equipment, drew carriages and more. Scientists had long thought that this domestication happened gradually and began 6,000 years ago. But new archaeological and genetic evidence suggests a more recent transition. In the cover story for the December issue, archaeozoologist William T. Taylor recounts horses' dramatic origin story alongside striking photos and graphics.
Mathematicians have discovered a new 3D shape called a soft cell that achieves a seemingly impossible feat: despite having no vertices, the soft cells can be arranged to fill a space with no overlaps or gaps. After discovering the curvy shapes, the team began seeing them everywhere in nature and architecture.
Hypochondria, or intense health anxiety, is a real condition. In extreme cases it can leave a person unable to keep a job or even to take care of themselves. In this feature article, journalist Joanne Silberner reveals what doctors are learning about hypochondria's causes—and how it can be treated with medications and therapy.
Did you know that our oceans breathe? Our vast seas inhale and exhale significant amounts of the carbon dioxide. Now, in the face of catastrophic climate change, researchers are developing ways to alter the oceans so that they suck up even more of the greenhouse gas. If these methods prove safe, effective and scalable, is this a line we want to cross? Another controversy developing beneath the waves is the use of the hulking shells of oil rigs as artificial reefs. Not everyone is convinced this human-made habitat should be allowed to stay in place.
If you've ever wondered why you wonder, contributor Lydia Denworth has some answers. Scientists have found that curiosity helps us learn because it is nestled in a sweet spot between challenge and frustration. What are you most curious about? What topics drive you down a rabbit hole?
Best wishes,
Jeanna Bryner Acting Editor in Chief | | | Archaeological and genetic discoveries topple long-standing ideas about the domestication of equines. | Mathematicians have found a new kind of shape with connections to nature and art. | Intense health anxiety is a true mental illness and threatens lives. The good news is that it's treatable. | Changing the ocean's chemical and biological makeup could force it to pull vast amounts of planet-warming carbon from the atmosphere. But is that a line we want to cross? | Oil rigs around the world are habitats for marine species. When they stop producing oil, should they be removed or allowed to stay? | Understanding curiosity can help people—and robots—learn faster. | To view this email as a web page, go here.
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