Good Lives and Fevers

Why Aren't Smart People Happier?

Adam Mastroianni | Seeds Of Science | 22nd October 2025

Because what we think of as intelligence is really just the ability to solve "well-defined problems". Fluency in a language or an understanding of complex electrical circuitry is achieved by solving a succession of such problems. Questions like “how do you live a good life” are poorly defined and good solutions require different qualities. This is thought of as "folksy" wisdom rather than intelligence (3,600 words)

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Why We Get Fevers

Malu Cursino | BBC Future | 23rd October 2025

Fever has existed as a reaction to infection in vertebrates for over 600 million years, but we did not understand it until the 20C. Elevating the body temperature for a short period is a central part of the human immune response, with white blood cells working more efficiently and neural pathways shifting signals more quickly. It's only if the high lasts too long that it becomes a harm rather than a cure (2,000 words)