Current Affairs | The Walrus

A photograph of a woman in a workout top sweating

Science

Smell You Later: The Weird Science of How Sweat Attracts

July 14, 2021July 14, 2021 - by Sarah Everts

Smell is often dismissed as the least important sense. But it’s the funk that draws us together

Illustration of Mark Carney against illustrations of the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, money signs, bar graphs, and pie charts in navy, teal and yellow hues.

July/August 2021 / Politics

Mark Carney Was the World’s Rock-Star Banker. Now He’s Ready for His Encore

June 22, 2021July 12, 2021 - by Curtis Gillespie

Carney led two central banks through two world-shifting crises. Does that make him a political contender?

Illustration of a child looking out of a window

Science

Affected Development: Will Kids Ever Recover from Isolation?

June 8, 2021July 25, 2021 - by Skyler Ash

For many children, our panicked pandemic lives are the only lives they’ve ever known

A person lies asleep with swirls around their face

Science

Having More Nightmares Lately? You’re Not Alone

May 14, 2021May 19, 2021 - by Carla Ciccone

Swarms of bugs, inescapable crowds, and moments of maskless horror are the new normal. Will we ever sleep soundly again?

An illustration of silhouetted people walking along a bridge over flowing water.

June 2021 / Science

Blue Space Is the New Green Space

May 10, 2021May 10, 2021 - by Dan Rubinstein

Why being near water can be a boon for our health and wellness

A woman sitting alone on a desert island, looking at the clouds

Science

Blah Blah Blah: The Lack of Small Talk Is Breaking Our Brains

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021 - by Hannah Seo

Chit-chat is often dismissed as mindless and boring. But its absence over the past year is affecting you more than you think

An illustration of a person typing at a desk and a family with luggage. In between them is a stack of paperwork, which leaves a Canadian maple leaf shadow.

Current Affairs / May 2021

How Immigration Really Works

April 14, 2021June 8, 2021 - by Kelly Toughill

Who will choose Canada’s next wave of newcomers? It could be someone in your town

Illustration of a wall with 16 rows of charts and data and a woman with purple hair standing in front of them.

May 2021 / Media

How Do We Exit the Post-Truth Era?

April 7, 2021July 20, 2021 - by Viviane Fairbank

Why fact-checking alone won’t save us from fake news

Photo of Donald Trump's eyes and forehead looking through a rectangle.

Politics

What Perks Does a Twice-Impeached President Deserve?

March 8, 2021June 8, 2021 - by Melissa J. Gismondi

Former leaders get libraries, Secret Service details, and intelligence briefings. But, after Trump’s four years of upending norms, the usual honours may no longer apply

Unist'ot'en Chief Doris Rosso speaks to supporters of the Unist'ot'en camp and Wet'suwet'en people as they gather around a camp fire off a logging road near Houston, B.C.

Politics

Did the Protests Work? The Wet’suwet’en Resistance One Year Later

March 2, 2021March 2, 2021 - by Tyler McCreary

In the months following the pipeline protests and blockades, hereditary chiefs helped change how BC works with First Nations