💡 Does Science Fiction Shape the Future?

What’s popular and new this week in Nautilus. [View in browser](| [Join Nautilus]( EDITORS' CHOICE Together with Did a friend forward this? [Subscribe here.]( This Sunday, read the latest and most popular stories from Nautilus—plus your free story and question of the day below [READ NAUTILUS]( [ARTS]( [Does Science Fiction Shape the Future?]( Conversations with visionary science fiction authors on the social impact of their work. BY NAMIR KHALIQ Behind most every tech billionaire is a sci-fi novel they read as a teenager. [Continue reading →]( ADVERTISEMENT The Clean Green Way to Brush Your Teeth Did you know your plastic toothbrush can end up in the ocean when you throw it out? As [this Nautilus article]( explains, discarded toothbrushes contribute to the tons of plastic waste choking our oceans and threatening marine life. Thankfully, there’s a solution. Unlike traditional toothbrushes, [VIVAGO toothbrushes]( are made from sustainable bamboo that’s 100% biodegradable. Pick some up and get on your way to a guilt-free daily routine. [BUY ON AMAZON]( Popular This Week [ARTS]( [When Bacteria Are Beautiful]( Making art out of an invisible world that shapes human health and disease. BY KRISTEN FRENCH [Continue reading →]( [PSYCHOLOGY]( [Does Depression Have an Evolutionary Purpose?]( Some psychologists believe suicide and depression can be strategic. BY MATTHEW HUTSON [Continue reading →]( The latest from Nautilus [TECHNOLOGY]( [Can Chatbots Hold Meaningful Conversations?]( Training AI to read novels might help. BY ELENA KAZAMIA [Continue reading →]( [HISTORY]( [What a Bronze Age Skeleton Reveals About Cavities]( Here’s a hint: He didn’t eat processed foods and sugar. BY KATHARINE GAMMON [Continue reading →]( WE ARE CURIOUS TO KNOW... What’s your most memorable experience of reading a sci-fi novel? Let us know! Reply to this newsletter with your response, briefly explaining your choice, and we’ll reveal the top answers. (This question was inspired by [“Does Science Fiction Shape the Future?”](). Top Answer to Our Previous Question (On the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Found) • I was walking home and saw a bit of green and pink (Canadian $20s and $50s) scattered on the snow. I was a university student. I stuffed it all in my pockets before it blew away. For once my street was deserted. I hustled home to count the money—it was $570. My roommate had walked home 20 minutes before me and it hadn’t been there. I reported it and no one ever claimed it. It lasted a long time. – Sarah L. Keep Your Old Knives Cutting Like New The [Tumbler Rolling Knife Sharpener]( lets you pick the precise angle to give your knives a razor-sharp edge and it’s [25% off]( now. [BUY ON AMAZON]( Your free story this Sunday! [PSYCHOLOGY]( [Explaining the Unexplainable]( When logic fails, stories and superstitions prevail. BY JIM DAVIES During the Enlightenment, the French philosopher Voltaire called superstition a “mad daughter” and likened it to astrology. [Continue reading for free→]( P.S. The Polish-born British anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski was born on this day in 1884. In 1948, he published a book on a study he conducted of the fishermen of the Trobriand Islands. “Sometimes people would get great catches, and other times, terrible ones. The lure of the very rare great catch proved too tempting for the Trobrianders, so they ventured into the open ocean despite the odds—and developed a set of superstitions,” wrote Jim Davies. “These included rituals performed during fishing and the casting of magic spells. [The circumstance dictated the explosion of rituals.](” Today’s newsletter was written by Brian Gallagher Thanks for reading. [Tell us](mailto:brian.gallagher@nautil.us?subject=&body=) your thoughts on today’s note. Plus, if you find our content valuable, consider [becoming a member]( to support our work, and inspire a friend to sign up for [the Nautilus newsletter](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2024 NautilusNext, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from [nautil.us](. Our mailing address is: NautilusNext 360 W 36th Street, 7S, New York, NY 10018 Don't want to hear from us anymore? [Unsubscribe](