Communication and language
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/a197418d-665b-412a-85cc-a9b6e9392f08/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinking and intelligence
idea
Talking out loud to yourself is a technology for thinking
Talking out loud to oneself is a technology for thinking that allows us to clarify and sharpen our approach to a problem
by Nana Ariel
![Close-up of a Renaissance painting showing a man’s face with curly hair, detailed skin texture, and a thoughtful expression against a dark background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/29626a9b-0595-4104-b7c3-406d50a3359e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Emotion regulation
idea
Asking one simple question can entirely change how you feel
Positive and negative emotions respond differently to ‘affect labelling’ – the act of giving a name to your feelings
by Christian Waugh
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/4ad92448-3c04-494b-9851-c4ae3f271616/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Friendship
guide
How to make friends as an adult
Friendships give us so much. Be bold, take the initiative, and you’ll be surprised how many people are pleased to connect
by Marisa G Franco
![Close-up of a green parrot with a red forehead and white around its eyes, looking directly at the camera.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/fc8938e6-799c-407c-8a6b-e17b28e9d042/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
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
![Ancient stone relief of four figures with intricate facial expressions and draped clothing, displayed against a blue background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/a590c755-097c-4318-9676-2483d5a8fedb/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Communication and language
idea
How do good conversations work? Philosophy has something to say
The idea of what makes for a successful conversation is always tricky, and has always been contested by philosophers
by Stephanie Ross
![A woman and a man face off, gesticulating in an argument. Another woman stands nearby looking concerned amid a crowd outdoors.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/9ef20808-918b-4afb-802c-736a06c4da8e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Conflict and conflict resolution
idea
Argue better by signalling your receptiveness with these words
All too often disagreements spiral into conflict. Prevent that happening by signalling your receptiveness with these words
by Michael Yeomans
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/ca065f28-3f28-49bc-97dc-a31d7ea4f413/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Learning and education
guide
How to learn a language (and stick at it)
Forget about fluency and how languages are taught at school: as an adult learner you can take a whole new approach
by John Gallagher
![A man in a cowboy hat sits on a rock watching a horse graze in a misty, sunlit pasture with a fence and hills in the background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/970f656c-158a-4dd3-b8ae-35146697c25d/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Memoir
film
After a mental health crisis, Karin finds peace among her beloved horses
Directed by Mimi Wilcox and Victor Tadashi Suarez
![Protesters holding signs against cashless society, media and climate emergency. Signs include “ONLY BY STANDING TOGETHER WILL WE BE FREE” and “TIME TO WAKE UP”.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/6ba73039-0042-4a00-ab49-52c0f083a7c7/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Knowledge and reason
idea
Our big problem is not misinformation; it’s knowingness
Everybody knows we live in an age of misinformation. But everybody’s wrong, and here’s why it’s our age’s biggest problem
by Jonathan Malesic
![A man and a woman laughing together in a restaurant](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/1d7d2453-20b1-4645-834d-1a3280461e1e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Communication and language
idea
Why it takes humour to sustain a long-term relationship
Maintaining a long and happy relationship requires a specific skillset. Learning to laugh at yourself and together is key
by Enrico Gnaulati
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/0a4233cd-be99-49ac-ac45-a6bc58ce683d/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Communication and language
guide
How to have more meaningful conversations
Be brave enough to share, kind enough to listen, and you can escape the shallows of small talk to dive deep with another
by Lucy Foulkes
![Two people watching a film in a dark, nearly empty cinema. One person is holding a popcorn box.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/472253b1-d02a-4b2c-9b8c-48cbf3c9083e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Stories and literature
film
‘Once upon a time…’ Deconstructing our insatiable appetite for stories
Directed by Aisling Chin-Yee