Science | The Walrus

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

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

A close-up photo of a tick perched on a large green leaf

Science / September/October 2020

Invasion of the Ticks

July 21, 2020September 9, 2020 - by Stephanie Nolen

Inside the quest to track one of humanity’s tiniest deadly predators

Illustration of an astronaut in full space gear, surrounding by bright streaks of light that resemble small comets.

In Other Worlds: A Space Exploration / June 2020 / Science

What Astronauts Can Teach Us about Mental Health and Isolation

May 19, 2020September 10, 2020 - by Elizabeth Howell

We’re learning what members of space missions have known for decades: it’s hard to live in a confined space for long periods of time

Illustration of two people wearing leopard-print jackets and running down the aisles of a supermarket. The woman is pushing a cart.

COVID-19 / June 2020 / Science

Your Brain on COVID-19

May 6, 2020June 18, 2020 - by Carolyn Abraham

Fear, denial, panic buying: why our minds are not designed to process threats like the coronavirus pandemic

A quadrant of four black and white photos of people experiencing fear or stress. Surrounding the photos are red lines that resemble the beeps on a heart monitor, suggesting a fast heart rate.

Science

How Fear Takes Hold of Our Bodies

April 13, 2020May 1, 2020 - by Eva Holland

Shallow breathing, dizziness, pounding heart: the science behind why we’re so afraid right now

A hand holding a yellow watering can is watering indoor plants on a windowsill.

Science

Are Plants Listening to Us? It Depends Who You Ask

April 9, 2020February 24, 2021 - by Michael Rancic

A controversial 1970s book claimed that plants can hear. It turns out its authors might not have been entirely wrong

A land rover searches through rocks in a lake.

Science

What Canada’s Rocks Can Tell Us About Extraterrestrial Life

August 21, 2019April 16, 2020 - by Nicole Schmidt

Scientists are studying Ontario limestone to learn about life on Mars

Science

The Physicist Who Thought About God

August 15, 2019March 27, 2020 - by Lee Smolin

David Finkelstein taught the world about black holes

Photograph of camp in the Mackenzie mountain range

Science

Indigenous Knowledge and the Future of Science

August 12, 2019August 13, 2019 - by Jimmy Thomson

Research on First Nation land often exploits the people who live there. What discoveries could come out of true collaboration?

April 2019 / Science

They’re Small. They’re Spore-y. They’re Yeast. And They Will Change Our World

March 14, 2019April 20, 2020 - by Sarah Musgrave

Only a fraction of the world’s yeast species have been discovered. The ones still out there could revolutionize health care, green energy, and beer