SAPIENS Magazine
@sapiens.org
A digital magazine about everything human, told through the stories of anthropologists, published 2016–2025.
From the archive. An evolutionary anthropologist details seasonal changes among foraging communities—and distills how the fixed political structures of industrialized societies are an outlier in human history. Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/fora...
December 17, 2025 at 8:01 PM
From the archive. An evolutionary anthropologist details seasonal changes among foraging communities—and distills how the fixed political structures of industrialized societies are an outlier in human history. Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/fora...
As 2025 comes to a close, the SAPIENS editorial team offers 10 standout pieces that capture the spirit of what the magazine has always sought to do: illuminate what it means to be human.
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/best...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/best...
December 17, 2025 at 3:00 PM
As 2025 comes to a close, the SAPIENS editorial team offers 10 standout pieces that capture the spirit of what the magazine has always sought to do: illuminate what it means to be human.
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/best...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/best...
“Scientists must walk a fine line between silence and sensationalism when they share their conclusions with society. Archaeologists, in particular, should create space for both evidence and imagination.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
December 16, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“Scientists must walk a fine line between silence and sensationalism when they share their conclusions with society. Archaeologists, in particular, should create space for both evidence and imagination.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
SAPIENS’ 2025 poet-in-residence situates her listening in Kashmir and Germany during and after her fieldwork, contextualizing her contributions to SAPIENS this year.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/list...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/list...
December 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
SAPIENS’ 2025 poet-in-residence situates her listening in Kashmir and Germany during and after her fieldwork, contextualizing her contributions to SAPIENS this year.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/list...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/list...
“The earliest clear written reference to a ‘Women’s Kingdom’ appears in the mid-5th century, when it was listed among exotic goods exchanged in diplomatic contacts. ... Could Gurugyam, and the female in M2, offer material traces of such a kingdom?”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
December 14, 2025 at 3:01 PM
“The earliest clear written reference to a ‘Women’s Kingdom’ appears in the mid-5th century, when it was listed among exotic goods exchanged in diplomatic contacts. ... Could Gurugyam, and the female in M2, offer material traces of such a kingdom?”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
“Contrary to official claims, I never heard any trans women say the programs ‘corrected’ their gender identity.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/tran...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/tran...
December 13, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“Contrary to official claims, I never heard any trans women say the programs ‘corrected’ their gender identity.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/tran...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/tran...
“The earliest clear written reference to a ‘Women’s Kingdom’ appears in the mid-5th century, when it was listed among exotic goods exchanged in diplomatic contacts. ... Could Gurugyam, and the female in M2, offer material traces of such a kingdom?”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
December 11, 2025 at 3:07 PM
“The earliest clear written reference to a ‘Women’s Kingdom’ appears in the mid-5th century, when it was listed among exotic goods exchanged in diplomatic contacts. ... Could Gurugyam, and the female in M2, offer material traces of such a kingdom?”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
“Contrary to official claims, I never heard any trans women say the programs “corrected” their gender identity.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/tran...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/tran...
December 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“Contrary to official claims, I never heard any trans women say the programs “corrected” their gender identity.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/tran...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/tran...
“Anti-natalists have a wide range of motivations, often related to the broader social, political, and economic circumstances that shape their understandings of reproductive choice, parenthood, and the future.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/japa...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/japa...
December 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“Anti-natalists have a wide range of motivations, often related to the broader social, political, and economic circumstances that shape their understandings of reproductive choice, parenthood, and the future.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/japa...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/japa...
“Migratory behavior may come and go throughout the deep history of an animal species. ... [C]onservation efforts should ... understand the ecological conditions that spur or deter spectacular migrations.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
November 29, 2025 at 3:30 PM
“Migratory behavior may come and go throughout the deep history of an animal species. ... [C]onservation efforts should ... understand the ecological conditions that spur or deter spectacular migrations.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
A poet and aspiring anthropologist in Indonesia reflects on the values reflected in rice cultivation in a traditional village in Southern Banten, West Java, Indonesia.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/padi...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/padi...
November 27, 2025 at 3:00 PM
A poet and aspiring anthropologist in Indonesia reflects on the values reflected in rice cultivation in a traditional village in Southern Banten, West Java, Indonesia.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/padi...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/padi...
“Migratory behavior may come and go throughout the deep history of an animal species. ... [C]onservation efforts should ... understand the ecological conditions that spur or deter spectacular migrations.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
November 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“Migratory behavior may come and go throughout the deep history of an animal species. ... [C]onservation efforts should ... understand the ecological conditions that spur or deter spectacular migrations.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
A poet and aspiring anthropologist in Indonesia reflects on the values reflected in rice cultivation in a traditional village in Southern Banten, West Java, Indonesia.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/padi...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/padi...
November 24, 2025 at 3:00 PM
A poet and aspiring anthropologist in Indonesia reflects on the values reflected in rice cultivation in a traditional village in Southern Banten, West Java, Indonesia.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/padi...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/padi...
“These layered histories of how seals were used, imagined, and storied in Orkney continue to shape arguments over how they are treated today.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/seal...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/seal...
November 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“These layered histories of how seals were used, imagined, and storied in Orkney continue to shape arguments over how they are treated today.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/seal...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/seal...
An anthropologist-poet listens to echoes of laughter and other sounds of crossings in Kashmir.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/soun...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/soun...
November 22, 2025 at 5:30 PM
An anthropologist-poet listens to echoes of laughter and other sounds of crossings in Kashmir.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/soun...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/soun...
“As a medical anthropologist, I’m fascinated by the political, economic, and social networks that have transformed humble bird’s nests into one of the most expensive animal products in the world.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
November 22, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“As a medical anthropologist, I’m fascinated by the political, economic, and social networks that have transformed humble bird’s nests into one of the most expensive animal products in the world.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
“These layered histories of how seals were used, imagined, and storied in Orkney continue to shape arguments over how they are treated today.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/seal...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/seal...
November 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
“These layered histories of how seals were used, imagined, and storied in Orkney continue to shape arguments over how they are treated today.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/seal...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/seal...
An anthropologist-poet listens to echoes of laughter and other sounds of crossings in Kashmir.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/soun...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/soun...
November 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
An anthropologist-poet listens to echoes of laughter and other sounds of crossings in Kashmir.
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/soun...
Read the full poem: www.sapiens.org/culture/soun...
“As a medical anthropologist, I’m fascinated by the political, economic, and social networks that have transformed humble bird’s nests into one of the most expensive animal products in the world.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
November 18, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“As a medical anthropologist, I’m fascinated by the political, economic, and social networks that have transformed humble bird’s nests into one of the most expensive animal products in the world.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
“Immersed in dusty archives of personal letters, newspaper clips, and journal articles, I found a history I was not expecting: the influence of personality, politics, and power on scientific interpretation.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/pale...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/pale...
November 17, 2025 at 3:38 PM
“Immersed in dusty archives of personal letters, newspaper clips, and journal articles, I found a history I was not expecting: the influence of personality, politics, and power on scientific interpretation.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/pale...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/pale...
“The bull’s story reveals a broader urban paradox: Humans engineer nonhuman animals for utility, then often abandon them when economic situations or cultural practices shift.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/sacr...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/sacr...
November 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
“The bull’s story reveals a broader urban paradox: Humans engineer nonhuman animals for utility, then often abandon them when economic situations or cultural practices shift.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/sacr...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/sacr...
“Immersed in dusty archives of personal letters, newspaper clips, and journal articles, I found a history I was not expecting: the influence of personality, politics, and power on scientific interpretation.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/pale...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/pale...
November 12, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“Immersed in dusty archives of personal letters, newspaper clips, and journal articles, I found a history I was not expecting: the influence of personality, politics, and power on scientific interpretation.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/pale...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/biology/pale...
“The bull’s story reveals a broader urban paradox: Humans engineer nonhuman animals for utility, then often abandon them when economic situations or cultural practices shift.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/sacr...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/sacr...
November 11, 2025 at 3:00 PM
“The bull’s story reveals a broader urban paradox: Humans engineer nonhuman animals for utility, then often abandon them when economic situations or cultural practices shift.”
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/sacr...
Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/sacr...