Eruptions archive has arrived

I’ve finished migrating my archives of the ol’ WordPress Eruptions (since May 2008), so if you’re looking for more information, try clicking “Archives” at the top of the page and […]

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September 1, 2010

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I’ve finished migrating my archives of the ol’ WordPress Eruptions (since May 2008), so if you’re looking for more information, try clicking “Archives” at the top of the page and wander through there. I will be updating the archives with category linked for each volcano, but that might take a while to retrofit. Enjoy!

Volcanologist, Denison University

Monthly Issue May 2026

The Power of Play

In this monthly issue, we take a closer look at how games, imagination, and creative experimentation shape identity and culture.

1 video 15 articles

Two hands are positioned on either side of a red circle against a plain white background.

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Mind & Behavior

Why play brings us pleasure

New research suggests fun isn’t a distraction from learning — it’s the brain’s way of rewarding us for navigating uncertainty, discovering patterns, and staying mentally alive.

by Alex Hutchinson

Illustration of a brain with legs standing on a platform, surrounded by yellow rays and red and yellow dots on a pink background.

Mind & Behavior

The quiet disappearance of the free-range childhood

When can a kid play outside alone? Two parents, one stranger, and the state collide.

by Stephen Johnson

A young child sits on a sidewalk holding a scraped knee next to a fallen scooter, evoking reasonable childhood independence, with collage elements including a helicopter, art print, and abstract lines.

The deep history of AI began 3,000 years ago

AI is not a rupture in history, but a continuation of intelligence emerging where information becomes systematically arranged.

by Joel J. Miller

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5 literary conspiracy theories — debunked

A tour of the literary cover-ups, extraterrestrials, and cryptids lurking in the bookish backwoods.

by Josh Browning & Kevin Dickinson

Abstract illustration of two wide eyes with red irises peeking over a pale green, angular shape against a black background.

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