Brigit Katz

 

Brigit Katz is a freelance writer based in Toronto. Her work has appeared in a number of publications, including NYmag.com, Flavorwire and Tina Brown Media's Women in the World.

This girl is off to a good start

Growing Up Surrounded by Books Could Have Powerful, Lasting Effect on the Mind

A new study suggests that exposure to large home libraries may have a long-term impact on proficiency in three key areas

The Average Person Can Recognize 5,000 Faces

But some participants in a recent study were able to recall as many as 10,000 faces

How Siberian Huskies Get Their Piercing Blue Eyes

A new study suggests that the defining trait is linked to a unique genetic mutation

Stone tools discovered in Belize's Paynes Creek Salt Works

How Salty Fish Helped the Maya of Belize Bolster Their Economy

A new study suggests that workshops on the coast of Belize were not only producing salt, but also preserving animal meat

Forgive us, we're just the messenger: When it comes to animal intelligence, canines are clever, but they're not at the top of the class.

Dogs Are Smart, But Not Exceptional

A new study has found that a host of similar animals match, or even exceed dogs’ intellectual abilities

A 1736 map of Scotland—with Shetland in a box.

New Law Puts Shetland on the Map—and Outside of a Box

Cartographers had previously been in the habit of representing the Scottish islands inside a box because they are located so far from the mainland

Garbage that was found after the eruption of the Ear Spring geyser.

This Yellowstone Geyser Spat Out a Pacifier From 1930s—And Lots of Other Trash

Park officials found items like a cement block, coins, aluminum cans and a pacifier from the 1930s

Eight-Year-Old Girl Finds Iron Age Sword in Swedish Lake

She's no King Arthur, but locals are calling Saga Vanecek the "Queen of Sweden." To that we say, long live Saga!

Denis Mukwege (left) and Nadia Murad (right) are this year's Nobel Peace Prize recipients

Two Activists Fighting Against Sexual Violence in Wartime Are This Year's Nobel Peace Prize Recipients

Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad are recognized for working to bring healing to victims, accountability to perpetrators and greater visibility to the public

Species with a predilection for berries, like this bohemian waxwing, are susceptible to getting drunk on fermented fruits.

Birds Are Acting Erratically in Minnesota. Blame It on the Alcohol.

The birds have been feasting on fermented berries, leading to all manner of drunken antics and fowl play, including flying under the influence.

Headdress frontlet, ca. 1820–40, by a Tsimshian artist, British Columbia.

Finally, a Native American Exhibition in the Met's American Wing

91 of the objects on display were gifted to the museum on the condition that they be contextualized within the framework of America's art history

Australia is on Track to Eliminate Cervical Cancer

A new study predicts that by 2028, there will be fewer than four new cervical cancer cases per 100,000 Australian women

Ma destinée (My destiny), 1867. Brown ink and wash and white gouache on paper.

Landmark Exhibition Brings Victor Hugo’s Forgotten Drawings Into Focus

The famed French author produced some 4,000 brooding, tempestuous artworks during his lifetime

iPad art

Westminster Abbey’s Newest Window Was Designed by David Hockney—on an iPad

It was commissioned in celebration of Elizabeth II’s reign

Pain surging from the right side of the abdomen is often an indication of appendicitis, which is typically treated with surgical removal of the organ. Researchers were able to use antibiotics to relieve symptoms and avoid surgery in some patients, a new study suggests.

Antibiotics May Treat Appendicitis Without Surgery

A new study has found that around 60 percent of patients who were treated with antibiotics did not have a recurrence of appendicitis within five years

Annie Kenney in 1909

Newly Discovered Letter Sheds Light on Overlooked Suffragette

Annie Kenney, who took part in the movement’s first militant act, wrote to her sister after being released from prison

Bones of the newly described Vorombe titan

Newly Described Elephant Bird Is the Biggest Yet

A new study is bringing long-overdue scientific rigor to the elephant bird’s family tree

"Self-portrait" by Thomas Gainsborough

Did Murder Help Catalyze Thomas Gainsborough’s Early Career?

New documentary evidence suggests the famed artist’s uncle and cousin were victims of targeted killings

Grizzly Bear in Yellowstone National Park

Federal Judge Cancels Yellowstone Grizzly Hunt, Restores Species Protections

The judge found that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service had acted ‘arbitrarily and capriciously’ in removing federal protections for the species

R.I.P., guppy.

Praying Mantis Seen Hunting Fish for the First Time

The ravenous insect repeatedly returned to the hunting site, suggesting praying mantises may be capable of complex learning

Page 36 of 73