Research

International Affairs: The Banality of Evil

Terrorist groups such as al-Qaida, says Jacob Shapiro, are ‘surprisingly mundane’

A Mischief-Maker’s Games in Math and Life

Biography: John Conway

In Short

Economics: Mortality Rising

Case-Deaton study reveals a sharp rise in death rates for middle-aged whites Americans

Faculty Book: Eddie S. Glaude Jr. *97

How Race Still Enslaves, And What Must Be Done

Excerpt: Democracy in Black

Life of the Mind

History: A Murder in Mexico

Never-before-seen photographs shed light on Leon Trotsky’s murder

Politics: Swaying Voters

Hazy thinking? Mangled facts? Those are what many use to rationalize how they vote

Q&A: Meredith Martin, From Books to Bytes

In Short

Chemistry: Micro-Warrior

Unlocking the secret of “silent genes” may lead to the development of new antibiotics

In Short

Faculty Book: Brian Herrera

Psychology: Baby Steps for a Baby Lab

A new facility will examine how the infant brain develops, one cute kid at a time

Jefferson's Great Bargain

Economics and Public Affairs: Trial and Error

Double-blind trials — the gold standard in medical research — may need refining

Astrophysics: Holes in Space

David Spergel ’82 answers the question: Did Interstellar get the science right?

Awards for Innovation

In Short

Q&A: Marta Tienda

A sociologist makes the case for affirmative action in higher education

Energy: Blowing in the Wind

Devising cost-effective ways to use renewable sources of energy

Q&A: Christy Wampole

The End of Irony

Faculty Book: James McPherson

A New View of the Confederate President Jefferson Davis