Recent research into the reading habits of men and women confirms what people in the book trade have long suspected — women are much more adventurous in their choice of fiction than the male of the species. The study, carried out by Lisa Jardine and Annie Watkins of Queen Mary College in London, concludes that "[m]en who read fiction tend to read fiction by men, while women read fiction by both women and men." The study also finds that, with the possible exception of Jane Austen, men believe that "great literature" is only written by men. Read more… <!–4ca6d8f929fc4619bf0df060b298c8a4–>

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The word "philosophy" comes from the Greek for "love of wisdom," and that's appropriate — it's largely a calling one pursues for love, not for fame and certainly not for money. And while the most well-read philosophy junkies might know the names and works of well-known contemporary thinkers like Saul Kripke, Daniel Dennett and John Searle, it's doubtful that many people know much at all about their personal lives. Read more…

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Who, alive today, will still be famous in 500 years? It’s the kind of question people might ask at dinner parties during a lull in conversation. But it’s one I’ve been pondering for the past couple of years, while writing a novel about three men who were together for a six-month period of bloody battles and lavish parties in central Italy. The story, set in 1502, is almost entirely a true one. The names of the men? Cesare Borgia, Niccolo Machiavelli and Leonardo da Vinci. Read more…

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Taking a test is not just a passive mechanism for assessing how much people know, according to new research. It actually helps people learn, and it works better than a number of other studying techniques. Read more…

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Tell us what you think of our caricature of British mathematician Alan Turing. We'd love to get your feedback.

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Tell us what you think of our caricature of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. We'd love to get your feedback.

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