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Short reads for curious minds
Stories and research behind the way we think, talk, spend and look at things. One idea per article, no homework.
ThinkingThe ox that made a statistician change his mindIn 1906, nearly 800 people guessed the weight of an ox at a country fair. The man who collected the tickets expected nonsense. He got something else — and so did everyone who has studied crowds since.2 October 2026 · 7 min readRead article
MoneyThe marshmallow test, revisitedA famous experiment seemed to show that waiting for a second treat predicts success in life. Larger and cleverer studies, decades later, told a more interesting story — one that has a lot to say about money.29 September 2026 · 6 min read
CommunicationTwo hours, two minutes: the speech nobody came to hearAt Gettysburg in 1863, the main speaker talked for two hours. The president, invited to add a few remarks, used about 270 words. Here is what that afternoon can teach anyone who writes or speaks.25 September 2026 · 6 min read
RelationshipsWhy we misread the people we know bestWe expect our partners and close friends to understand us almost without words. A series of clever experiments suggests we expect too much — and offers a small habit that helps.22 September 2026 · 5 min read