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Black and white photo of a woman and child sitting outside a rustic cabin in a desert landscape under a cloudy sky.

Social history

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Bunkerised society – why prepping for end times is so American

Millions are preparing for doomsday, not together, but by closing the hatch. It’s a logical response to a hollowed-out state

by Robert Kirsch & Emily Ray

Photo of astronauts in spacesuits conducting moon surface activities near a lunar module in a studio setting.

Technology and media

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Why deepfakes pose less of a threat than many predict

Applying Descartes’ sceptical puzzle to deepfake videos reveals the challenge they present is one that we can rise to

by Keith Raymond Harris

A protest with people holding signs that read ‘We are worth more’ and ‘Strike for 15’; large Ronald McDonald figure in the background

Human rights and justice

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Most protests fail. What are activists doing right when they win?

The science of protest reveals successful tactics and common weak points. Those who want change should take it onboard

by Lisa Mueller

Medieval painting of two figures in a garden, one in pink and the other in red, surrounded by plants and a tree.

Music

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Why did bloody knights write love songs about spring blossoms?

The masculinity of medieval knighthood was expansive enough for both graphic violence and the joys of a flower meadow

by Jennifer Saltzstein

Photo of a person in a yellow T-shirt with a large black letter Q standing among seated people at an indoor event.

Thinking and intelligence

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The surprising role of deep thinking in conspiracy theories

People who endorse and spread outlandish theories aren’t gullible, they’re drawn to the intoxicating lure of discovery

by Stephen Gadsby & Sander Van de Cruys

Photo showing a man’s reflection in glass with blurred people and tree branches in the foreground.

Values and beliefs

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What a dream helped me see about the politics of sovereignty

A moment of insight captured the danger in our widespread ‘sovereigntism’ – and how we ought to relate to each other instead

by Rupert Read

Impressionist painting of a family in a garden, with a child learning to walk, assisted by an adult, as another adult crouches down with outstretched arms.

Values and beliefs

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A philosophical approach can help you identify what truly matters

We’re often taught to live according to our values, but this is easier said than done without pausing to reflect deeply

by Valerie Tiberius

Photo of climbers trekking on a snow-covered mountain ridge shrouded in mist and clouds.

Decision-making

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How a ‘dominance’ mindset encourages leaders to put others at risk

To find ways to deter this recklessness, we’ve studied the mindset of financiers and others who take ‘moral hazard’ decisions

by Hemant Kakkar & Garrett L Brady

Photo of people gathering around a table with food inside a church. A statue of Mary and child is visible in the background.

Compassion and empathy

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Many of us have the wrong idea about poverty and toughness

The ‘thick skin bias’ obscures the reality of hardship. We should check our assumptions about those who are struggling

by Nathan Cheek

Painting of settlers in covered wagons crossing a grassy landscape with mountains in the background and people on horses nearby.

Identity

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I rebuilt my self-esteem by changing the story of who I am

I once clung to a dubious family legend to help me cope with a difficult childhood. I’ve since found a better story to tell

by Patricia Olsen

Photo of a man in white with a medallion standing in front of a building labelled “UFOland,” looking upwards confidently.

Spirituality and religion

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UFO belief is a modern outlet for ancient spiritual yearnings

Even when it’s not explicitly religious, belief in alien visitors resembles our oldest ways of making sense of the world

by Francesco Dimitri

Illustration of two deer running in a forest with Arabic script on the side and bottom, from a historical manuscript.

Grief

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After my mom died, I found comfort in a medieval Andalusi tale

Ibn Tufayl’s story of a man mourning the gazelle who raised him helped me appreciate the interconnection of all things

by Veronica Menaldi