Communication and language

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Two people sit on a wooden park bench, one with an arm around the other, with fallen leaves scattered on the ground in front of them.

idea

Why that hard conversation will probably go better than you think

If you’ve delayed raising a touchy issue, fearing it will backfire, new research could give you the confidence you need

by Matt Huston

Two people look at a scientifically based recreation of a Neanderthal man’s head, adorned with feathers and fur, enclosed in a glass case at a museum. The setting is under strong indoor lighting with a blue wall background.

Communication and language

idea

This is what a Neanderthal conversation would have sounded like

Neanderthals had language, but it differed from ours in an important way that could help explain our superior art and tech

by Steven Mithen

Ancient elongated humanoid statue with a minimalist design and folded arms, carved from a reddish stone, against a grey background.

Communication and language

guide

How to say no

It’s a little word, but if you’re a chronic people pleaser it can be so tricky to say it. These tips and tricks will help

by Shayla Love

Still image from a VHS tape depicting child and a woman blowing out birthday cake candles together, both wearing red, with people in the background.

Parenting and families

film

Love is no simple thing for a mother and the daughter she raised alone

Directed by Ellie Wen

Music

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I learned to hear the music of Earth’s underwater musicians

If we consider the sounds of whales and other organisms with an open mind, we find a strange beauty – and can even join in

by David Rothenberg

Graffiti in French reading “L’ART C’EST DE LA MERDE” is painted on a concrete wall. The words are written in black, casual handwriting, with a smaller, less legible text scribbled underneath. A piece of paper is fixed to the top right side of the wall.

Communication and language

idea

Censoring offensive language threatens our freedom to think

The modern obsession with textual purity stems from a misapplication of the philosophies of Wittgenstein and Derrida

by Paul Ham

Man in white shirt leaning out, speaking into a large megaphone overlooking a sea filled with distant ships and smoke on the horizon.

Communication and language

guide

How to find your voice

Do you sometimes feel silenced or afraid to speak up? Learn to use your natural voice and be heard for who you really are

by Sophie Scott

A hand-drawn pie chart titled “Why I Do Not Read Lips,” with segments like “Honey, it’s not game night – no charades please,” “Too much eye contact, I have my limits,” and “Olive juice my ass.”

Creativity

film

This artist’s clever work moves Deaf culture from the margins to centre stage

Directed by Chiemi Karasawa

Ancient stone statue with three interconnected faces sharing one head, displaying neutral expressions, on a plain background.

Knowledge and reason

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Ancient Greek antilogic is the craft of suspending judgment

Sophists like Protagoras used the rhetoric of antilogic to escape from the illusion of truth and make room for uncertainty

by Robin Reames

Illustration of a person listening with a hand cupped to their ear, surrounded by soft pastel colours.

Communication and language

idea

Why listening well can make disagreements less damaging

Offering undivided attention and curiosity not only lowers the temperature of a conversation but can change its outcome

by Guy Itzchakov

Back view of a man holding a child at an outdoor evening gathering with string lights in the background.

Stigma and taboo

guide

How to talk about your mental illness

Careful disclosure can be highly rewarding. Use tips from the Honest, Open, Proud programme to share your story

by Carla Kundert & Patrick W Corrigan

Close-up of a green parrot with a red forehead and white around its eyes, looking directly at the camera.

Wonder and the sublime

film

The search for life beyond Earth is peculiar, from a parrot’s perspective

Directed by Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla