This is a human-written story voiced by AI. Got feedback? Take our survey . (See our AI policy here .) Humans are complicated creatures; studying them is complicated, too. The social sciences contain as many as 12 core disciplines, depending on who’s counting. And they range widely, from anthropology, psychology and sociology to more quantitative fields like economics and demographics. Being able to grasp the vast variations in human activity, from one person’s mental state to the movements of nations, is essential for navigating the chaotic times we live in. To keep you current on the science behind hot button issues in the news, we’re expanding our coverage of the social sciences with a new column, Being Human, in this issue.…