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Ideas

Symbols and myth

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Photo of ancient ruins on a rocky hill with a cloudy sky and distant mountains in the background.

Spirituality and religion

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This is not the end. Apocalyptic comfort from ancient Iran

Faced with the collapse of their empire, Zoroastrians sought comfort in the apocalyptic – and their literature flourished

by Domenico Agostini & Samuel Thrope

Ivory sculpture of a lion-human figure shown from three angles on a black background.

Creativity

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Our greatest invention was the invention of invention itself

Hypothetical thinking is the key to sustained innovation and creativity: invention drove the evolution of the human mind

by Keith Frankish

Stone statue of Buddha with serene expression and draped robes, backs onto a circular halo, displayed against a dark background.

Symbols and myth

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Why the first Buddhas in art wore finely folded Greek tunics

How the iconography of Greek art influenced the development of an increasingly standardised image of the Buddha in India

by Garrett Ryan

Illustration of animals in human clothing in a courtroom setting. A lion is the judge, and a man is questioning a donkey in the dock, surrounded by other animals.

Animals

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What our use of animal-based slurs and endearments says about us

The image of the adorable kitten and the insult of calling someone a ‘pussy’ have more in common than you might realise

by David Egan

Two people sitting on a blanket under a starry night sky, with mountains and tall trees in the background.

Nature and the environment

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Why people across the world see constellations, not just stars

Orion, the Big Dipper and the rest reflect shared features of human perception – but also diverse cultural interpretations

by Simon J Cropper, Duane W Hamacher, Daniel R Little & Charles Kemp

Ancient artefact with gold sun, moon, and stars on a dark blue-green background, likely depicting an early astronomical observation.

Wonder and the sublime

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Bronze Age people looked to the skyscape to navigate their lives

Long before stargazing helped humans navigate the Earth, the skyscape gave Bronze Age people mystery and wonder

by Kata Karáth

Abstract painting of a kneeling, distressed figure inside a colourful, cavernous space with purple, red and green organic shapes.

Psychiatry

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This isn’t just art, but a supercharged act of meaning-making

Psychiatric art is crammed with meaning yet it actively resists interpretation. This paradox lies at the heart of its appeal

by Shruti Ravindran

A dimly lit painting depicting four people gathered around a dining table in a rustic interior, illuminated by a warm light source.

Stories and literature

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Ovid’s tales of mutual love show he was more than a poet of rape

Ovid’s epic poem explores two sides of the Roman idea of love: one led by violence and domination, the other by mutual desire

by Stephanie McCarter

Various coloured stone rings of different sizes arranged on a blue background.

Rituals and celebrations

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Far-flung ancient communities forged bonds through broken rings

What can the fragments of Neolithic slate rings found in Finland tell us about social relationships 6,000 years ago?

by Marja Ahola, Elisabeth Holmqvist & Petro Pesonen