What criteria of beauty is Peterson talking about? What are these irrefutable “facts”? Let’s break his argument down. — Recently, conservative cultural critic Jordan Peterson couldn’t resist himself. On twitter, he announced that plus-size model and musician, Yumi Nu was “not beautiful” in her Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover. He tweeted, “Sorry. Not beautiful. And no amount of authoritarian tolerance is going to change that.” Ouch.

And why I’m a better Christian than most Christians. — I was always an atheist, but it took me a while to accept it. I grew up in a fundamentalist Baptist church. That meant no movies, no rock music, no dancing, no drinking, no sex, and oh, no shorts for girls. In other words, no fun. Once I could drive…

In some ways, monkeys are smarter, but children do strange things. That might be the key to our genius. — Science writer Carl Zimmer thought for sure his 4-year-old daughter was smarter than a chimpanzee. After all, chimpanzees couldn’t talk. They couldn’t draw cartoons. And they couldn’t play hide-and-seek. It was no contest. His daughter could get a toy out of a box just as easily as a chimpanzee. …

5 scientifically proven ways to help you improve your outlook that take only 15 minutes. — If you are anything like me, my mood is a roller-coaster most days. I have a tendency to get caught in negative thoughts and anxiety. One minute I’m kicking ass, and the next minute I’m slumped over and hopeless. But there are scientific ways to get you out of your…

The pandemic has made online relationships even more prevalent. But are those feelings of love real? — Back in 2000, Johanna Champion and Tristan Cooper were introduced to each other in an online gaming forum. They were both fourteen-years-old, and quickly became friends. They chatted away on the forum, AOL Messenger, then the phone, then on social media. “It sort of became like a habit,” Cooper said…

Meeting someone online is a blend of reality and fantasy. It can be a heart-breaking mix. — I’m by no means a Shakespeare expert, but I did teach the sonnets at one time. Lately, I have been thinking about Sonnet 138 in relation to two Tumblr girls I met online. The sonnet is from the “Dark Lady” sequence. The poems are about a tumultuous and deceptive affair…

A recent meta-analysis of 174 studies indicates the importance of emotional flexibility in a healthy relationship. — I’ve been divorced for two years. And even though my marriage tanked, my co-parenting relationship is really good. We still do things together. We went out with our kids for my birthday and for Mother’s Day. We can still talk. Is there friction? Of course. But I’ve made it a…

Good news! The answer is yes. A scientific study about it even says so. — I’m a big fan of romantic comedies. I recently watched Fifty First Dates with a friend. She couldn’t believe I hadn't seen it before. Because of an accident, Drew Barrymore’s memory only lasts for one day, so Adam Sandler must woo her, again and again, each day. And the other…

The stigma against men crying still persists, but new science extols the benefits of a good cry. — I have a confession to make. I cry a lot. I mean, a lot. The other weekend, I cried or shed a tear everyday. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I’m normally a pretty emotional guy in the first place, but some family issues and relationship issues had me amped up more…