The state of the universe.

If you'd like to sort this department listing by headline, author or date, please use the Slate search.

• Don't Just Sit There! How bathroom posture affects your health.
  Daniel Lametti Aug. 26, 2010
  
• Terra Infirma The rise and fall of quicksand.
  Daniel Engber Aug. 22, 2010
  
• I'm Sinking! A history of quicksand in the movies.
  Daniel Engber Aug. 22, 2010
  
• Pork Barrel Daniel Engber on the science and politics of obesity.
  Daniel Engber July 16, 2010
  
• Greetings From Fat-Land The Washington Post reports on obesity in rural Kentucky and misses the point.
  Daniel Engber July 15, 2010
  
• Landon Donovan Needs a Cat Could a brain parasite found in cats help soccer teams win at the World Cup?
  Patrick House July 1, 2010
  
• School of Hock Two universities have announced plans to collect students' saliva and analyze their DNA. Is that a good idea?
  Misha Angrist June 23, 2010
  
• Why the Soda Tax Makes Us Angry Higher prices are bad. Being told what to do is worse.
  Sheena Iyengar June 1, 2010
  
• Jesus, Jesus, Jesus In the late 1950s, three men who identified as the Son of God were forced to live together in a mental hospital. What happened?
  Vaughan Bell May 26, 2010
  
• The Underdog Effect Why do we love a loser?
  Daniel Engber April 30, 2010
  
• Not Too Fat To Fight The obesity epidemic has nothing to do with national security.
  Daniel Engber April 23, 2010
  
• On Top of Microwave Mountain I tried to sauté my brain at the base of a cell phone tower. It didn't work.
  George Johnson April 21, 2010
  
• Yet Another "Missing Link" A brand-new Australopithecus fossil is fascinating and important. But it's not one of our direct ancestors.
  Carl Zimmer April 8, 2010
  
• Everything Is Contagious Doubts about the social plague stir in the human superorganism.
  Dave Johns April 7, 2010
  
• Apple on Your Eyes Can staring at an iPad hurt your vision?
  Jeremy Singer-Vine March 31, 2010
  
• Not So Fresh Does Michelle Obama's war on obesity give short shrift to canned and frozen produce?
  Daniel Engber March 25, 2010
  
• Why Do We Tickle? Rep. Eric Massa tickled his staff. Is that normal?
  Brian Palmer March 12, 2010
  
• Fat Kids Get ready for a new front in the war on obesity.
  Daniel Engber March 9, 2010
  
• Don't Touch That Dial! A history of media technology scares, from the printing press to Facebook.
  Vaughan Bell Feb. 15, 2010
  
• Invasion of the Baby-Snatchers Our irrational fear of infant abduction could be causing real harm.
  Daniel Engber Feb. 5, 2010