What runners call the ‘pain cave’
Widely discussed in running circles, there’s a place you go when your body gives up and there’s only mental strength left
by Richard Fisher
Richard Fisher is a senior editor for Aeon, an honorary professor in science communication at University College London, and the author of the non-fiction book The Long View. Previously, he was an editor at the BBC and New Scientist, and a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT.
What I’m looking for: For Aeon, I commission essays about science and technology. I primarily focus on the physical sciences – geology, physics, cosmology, space, oceans, climate, paleontology, chemistry, mathematics etc. In technology, I’m looking for essays that offer a psychological, philosophical or historical lens on our relationship to technology. Most of the writers I work with are academics, expert professionals, or book authors. For more details about what Aeon is looking for in a pitch, visit aeon.co/pitch
Written by Richard Fisher
Edited by Richard Fisher
The ‘panzoic effect’: the benefits of thinking about alien life
Reflecting on the potential for extraterrestrial life can inspire awe and have a profound effect on your worldview
by Graham Lau
Why it’s possible to be optimistic in a world of bad news
The original optimist, Leibniz, was mocked and misunderstood. Centuries later, his worldview can help us navigate modern life
by Sumit Paul-Choudhury