Dear Knowable readers,

This week we bring you our top 10 most popular stories of 2021 (thus far), as rated by you. These well-loved stories cover a broad swath of what we are proud to cover here at Knowable Magazine — deep dives into research with societal significance, meaty reporting on science that affects everyday life and illuminating insights into the complexities of the natural world.

While you are reading these selections, we hope you will consider supporting our work with a charitable contribution. Thanks to the generous support of the Annual Reviews Board of Directors, now through November 30 — Giving Tuesday — your donation to Knowable Magazine will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. That means that for every $1 you give, $2 will go to supporting the reporting, writing, editing, fact-checking and illustration of stories like those presented here. As a nonprofit initiative, we rely on the support of readers like you. Please donate today.

Thank you so much for supporting Knowable Magazine, and we hope you enjoy reading this year’s top 10 (scroll down). We’ll be back with our regular newsletter next week.

—Eva Emerson, Rosie Mestel, Rachel Ehrenberg, Lisa Modica, Katie Fleeman and Ashley Wiesner

Your favorites

Conceptual illustration shows three dinner plates, two at night with crescent moons are empty, representing a nightly fast, and a third with a sun theme, full of food and representing the benefits of

The when of eating: The science behind intermittent fasting

By Andreas von Bubnoff  What and how much we eat isn’t the only important thing when it comes to healthy nutrition. Timing seems to matter, too. Read more

Photo shows vessels that have been restored from fragments found in the Libyan Sahara thought to be more than 6,000 years old.

What did ancient people eat? Scientists find new clues in old pottery

By Carolyn Wilke   Remnants of molecules and microbes in shards of cooking pots help researchers reconstruct prehistoric cuisines. On the menu: stews, cheese and fermented drinks. Read more

Cartoon illustration of two police officers looking suspiciously at a man in a striped shirt who is shrugging, blinking and smiling nervously.

The truth about lying

By Jessica Seigel   You can’t spot a liar just by looking — but psychologists are zeroing in on methods that might actually work Read more

Conceptual illustration of conspiracy theories.

The enduring allure of conspiracies

By Greg Miller   Conspiracy theories seem to meet psychological needs and can be almost impossible to eradicate. One remedy: Keep them from taking root in the first place. Read more

Photo of an old man and woman, each pushing a wheeled walker, strolling down a sidewalk.

What Sweden’s Covid failure tells us about ageism

By Carl-Johan Karlsson   Experts say that growing age discrimination in the West is a result of policies that far predate the pandemic Read more

An impressionist painting showing a father crouched down, with arms outstretched, as a toddler attempts to walk toward him.

Evolution of the dad

By Elizabeth Preston   Most male mammals have little or nothing to do with their kids. Why is our own species different? Read more

A close-up photo shows a small fuzzy spider looking out from atop a person’s fingertip. The spider is black with white spots and green pedipalps, and smaller than the width of the fingernail.

Spiders are much smarter than you think

By Betsy Mason   Cognition researchers are discovering surprising capabilities among a group of itsy-bitsy arachnids Read more

Composite mage shows a solar filament that ribbons from a glowing red sun with areas of yellow eruptions against a black sky.

Are we ready? Understanding just how big solar flares can get

By Christopher Crockett   Recasting the iconic Carrington Event as just one of many superstorms in Earth’s past, scientists reveal the potential for even more massive, and potentially destructive, eruptions from the sun Read more

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Ar Article Collection: AI, Machine Learning, and Society
Close-up photo of two bees eating honey from a comb

Bee gold: Honey as a superfood

By Berly McCoy   From pesticide detox to increased longevity, the benefits of the sweet stuff go well beyond simply nourishing the hardworking insects in the hive Read more

The eyes of a child are seen looking fearfully through a window.

Unseen scars of childhood trauma

By Amanda B. Keener Twenty years of research have established the connection between adverse childhood experiences and long-term health. Now researchers are looking for ways to measure the biology behind the correlation and try to reverse it. Read more