Making Music Builds a More Efficient Brain
There's new evidence that the brains of musicians and bilinguals require less effort to perform cognitive tasks.
Language
The Department of Education Is Trying to Promote Native Language Learning
The DOE's new programs will also support improvement in English proficiency.
A Conversation With Dominika Baran
The Duke University linguistics professor talks about her new book, and the power of language in determining inclusion.
Being Multilingual May Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease
New research suggests it creates a cognitive reserve the brain can utilize when other regions start to decay.
The Pervasiveness of Profanity
New research tracks the rise in swear words in books over the decades.
The Unique Linguistic Effects of 'Laughing Out Loud'
Historically, written language has been created to represent spoken language. For the first time, that dynamic is working in the opposite direction.
Why Conservatives Prefer Nouns
Researchers link social conservatism with grammatical preferences that foster feelings of stability and predictability.
OMG! In Text Messages, Punctuation Conveys Meaning
New research finds a period, or the lack of one, changes the way a text reply is interpreted.
One Reason for the Gender Pay Gap: You're Speaking It
A new nation-by-nation comparison suggests language is a driver of inequality.
Thirty Million Words Aren't Enough
Quality and quantity matter for low-income kids' language skills, researchers say.
What Makes You So Smart, Stephen Wolfram?
Noah Davis talks to the founder of Wolfram Alpha about computing the world's knowledge, how his kids got him to start traveling, and why he's not scared of AI.
Speaking a Mile in Someone Else's Shoes
A new study suggests children exposed to other languages better understand what other people want.
The Missing Words that Help Explain Congress’ Low Approval Ratings
A new study links dislike of the institution with a decrease in expressions of concern for helping others.
Could Hillary Clinton's Voice Cost Her the White House?
Evidence shows that we perceive deeper voices as more authoritative and trustworthy. How will this impact the coming election—especially if there's a woman on the top of the ticket?
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: The Former Community College Student Teaching English to Children Everywhere
We canvassed the world of the social and behavioral sciences, looking for rising stars whose careers promise to make a lasting mark. We'll be profiling the top 30 throughout the month of April.
Dispatches From the Russian River: The Fall
After Alexis Coe takes a bad fall on a hiking trail, the language of the creek reveals a connection to the city.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: The One-Time Liquor Store Stock Boy Analyzing Some of Our Closest Relationships
We canvassed the world of the social and behavioral sciences, looking for rising stars whose careers promise to make a lasting mark. We'll be profiling the top 30 throughout the month of April.
How Does Language Impact Public Opinion Polls?
Our answers to survey questions have more to do with the wording than our actual ideologies.
Learn a Language for a Neighbor?
Across borders, language learning follows two main patterns. Neither leaves room for learning a language for the sake of building a community.