The day the Taliban banned women like me from working
With my daughters’ education cancelled, I thought the regime had done its worst. Then a new message came from my office
by Nargis
Sally is a writer and editor with interests spanning science, philosophy, feminism and the arts. She was digital editor of FT Weekend and the technology and innovation correspondent for the Financial Times. Sally founded the Libreria bookshop in east London as its director, and was on the original editorial team of Nautilus Magazine.
Edited by Sally Davies
Depression is more than low mood – it’s a change of consciousness
Understanding depression as an altered state of consciousness, like a dream or drug trip, could help people awaken from it
by Cecily Whiteley & Jonathan Birch
A vast, thrilling world of nature unfolds outside of human time
Human life might stretch over decades, but the lifespans of many other organisms on this pale blue dot leave us in the dust
by Nicholas P Money
Meditation is like mountaineering: approach it with care
We speak of meditation as exercise, something that’s good for everyone. But, like scaling a mountain, you must use caution
by Nicholas Van Dam
The fungal mind: on the evidence for mushroom intelligence
The evidence for fungal intelligence is in: they can operate as individuals, make decisions, learn, and have short-term memory
by Nicholas P Money
The behavioural immune system protects us, but at what cost?
The COVID-19 pandemic created an unplanned social experiment on skin hunger and touch aversion. How will our politics suffer?
by Manos Tsakiris
Imagine you could insert knowledge into your mind: should you?
What does the knowledge insertion thought-experiment tell us about the costs and benefits of the learning experience?
by John Tillson
Is improving your personality a moral duty or a category confusion?
The distinction between fixed personality and willed character is murky. Could improving your personality be a moral duty?
by T Ryan Byerly