~aeon | Bookmarks (114)

Like today’s large language models, 16th-century humanists had techniques to automate writing – to the detriment of novelty - by Hannah Katznelson Read at Aeon

Peel back the visible and invisible layers of brilliance in one artist’s clever self-portraits juxtaposing East and West - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

An awe-inspiring look at how scientific knowledge builds upon itself gradually – one ingenious measurement at a time - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

After a murderous kidnapping in Nigeria, I launched a campaign to put a stop to the abductions. Why did no one listen? - by Ayisha Osori Read at Aeon

In Hanoi, an uprooted tree inspires a meditation on war, peace and the power of objects to create deep meaning - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

The weird paradox of Schrödinger’s cat has found a lasting popularity. What does it mean for the future of quantum physics? - by Jim Baggott Read at Aeon

When we see the Earth as ‘a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam’ what do we learn about human significance? - by Tim Bayne Read at Aeon

In the aftermath of a head injury, Nick’s mind is split between his old self and a strange new self he doesn’t know - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

When AI takes over the practice of science we will likely find the results strange and incomprehensible. Should we worry? - by Brandon Boesch Read at Aeon

‘Is it wicked to take a pleasure in spring?’ George Orwell’s postwar ode to the toad offers a message ripe for our times - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

In Plato’s Symposium, Socrates shared a theory of love from the teachings of a ‘non-Athenian woman’. Who was she really? - by Armand D’Angour Read at Aeon

Watch as two craftspeople use 19th-century methods and tools to turn a tree on Norway’s coast into a rowing boat - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Condemned to death by firing squad, French resistance fighters put pen to paper. Their dying words can teach us how to live - by Daniel R Brunstetter Read at Aeon

When we look for extraterrestrials, we often peer into the depths of space. But alien life might be closer than you think - by Ravi Kopparapu & Jacob Haqq Misra Read at Aeon

Meet Sammy Squitten, the baby squirrel suckled by a cat and raised by a human, in this story narrated by David Attenborough - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

The climate crisis is here. In order to thrive in these dangerous and precarious times, we must build resilient communities - by Rupert Read Read at Aeon

‘Artificial scientists’ can use machine-learning algorithms to design experiments that are beyond the intuition of humans - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Today a bitter dispute about the nature of biology is underway. A simple bag of beans may be what tips the balance - by Zachary B Hancock Read at Aeon

Sometimes wicked but always powerful. Why did witches transform from figures of fear to figures of entertainment and aspiration? - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Vietnam’s potent and storied anticolonialism is founded upon a unique sense of national shame - by Kevin D Pham Read at Aeon

A ‘great reshuffle’ of the land is underway. It will force us to reconsider traditional ideas of property and ownership - by Michael Albertus Read at Aeon

Thirty years after the Rwandan genocide, a therapist helps young adults born from rape navigate stigma and family trauma - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Ideas from classical Indian philosophy help illuminate the enigmas of selfhood, consciousness and the nature of reality - by Anand Vaidya & Manjula Menon Read at Aeon

A haunting elegy to the boreal forests of Finland hand-scratched onto 16mm film with fleeting glimpses of local plant life - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon