Communication
When Kids Talk to Machines
Language bots are no substitute for teaching children to speak and learn.
A Scientist Walks Into a Bar …
How comedy plays on our emotions to fight misinformation.
How Whales Could Help Us Speak to Aliens
Learning to decode complex communication on Earth may give us a leg up if intelligent life from space makes contact.
What’s In a Fish’s Name?
Indigenous words for fishes open a window into endangered cultures.
A Knockout Issue
Asteroids, boxing, and hallucinations, in the editor’s note from Print Issue 54.
Could Onomatopoeia Be the Origin of Language?
What we can learn from the ding-dong hypothesis, James Joyce, Buster Keaton, and a language known as !Xoon.
The Most Beautiful Science of the Year
These are a few of our favorite things from 2023.
AI Can Help Democracy
Talking politics in a polarized society can get heated fast. Chatbots could help us keep our cool.











