Creativity

Creativity and the arts Spirituality and transcendence

Architecture Artists and art history Beauty and aesthetics Celebrations and festivals Creativity Dance Film Imagination Laughter and comedy Music Painting and sculpture Philosophy of art Photography Play Poetry Stories and literature The nature of reality Theatre and performance Traditional arts

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Black and white drawing of swirling smoke and flames rising from the ground, bordered by a rough square outline.

The self

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Why bad doodles can reveal more about you than good drawings

For Marion Milner, ‘not being able’ is a valuable state – one that allows for new and unexpected forms of learning

by David Russell

Black-and-white photo of a person sleeping against a window on a train, head resting on a pillow, outside view blurred.

Sleep and dreams

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The brain’s twilight zone: when you’re neither awake nor asleep

Neuroscientists are demystifying this in-between state, uncovering its role in memory processing and its creative potential

by Célia Lacaux

A close-up of a paint swatch booklet with colour samples including blue, yellow and beige. They have labels such as Polka Dot, Vanilla and Daisy Chain.

Creativity

guide

How to use ‘possibility thinking’

Have you hit an impasse in your personal or professional life? Answer these questions to open your mind to what’s possible

by Constance de Saint Laurent & Vlad Glăveanu

Silhouette of person standing before an orange light, creating a glowing halo effect on a neutral background.

Painting and sculpture

film

Toxic materials become sculptures of light and air in this artist’s hands

Directed by Anika Kan Grevstad

Abstract painting of a river with geometric, brightly coloured buildings and trees on the riverbank and a bridge in the background

Creativity

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A key part of creativity is picking up on what others overlook

We all constantly filter a flood of details coming in. This process helps explain what gives some brains a creative edge

by Madeleine Gross

Wide, empty urban road flanked by modern apartment buildings under a partly cloudy sky.

Creativity

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Your 10-step plan for achieving a creative breakthrough

We often think of Aha! moments occurring by fluke, but there are evidence-based ways to make it more likely they will occur

by Nick Kabrél

Two people in a badly taken selfie with thumb obscuring the subject

Photography

guide

How to take better photos

Anyone can learn the principles that are essential to capturing quality images. Follow these tips and see the difference

by Paul Pope

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

A kindergarten-age child plays with a padlock and key at a white table

Thinking and intelligence

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Innovative three-year-olds expose the limits of AI chatbots

New experiments show that very young children are better at solving creative puzzles than ChatGPT and other AI models

by Shayla Love

A person in a yellow jacket skipping stones at the beach during sunset, with calm water and rock formations in the distance.

Play

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All you need to know to start skipping stones like a pro

With the right attitude, stone skipping is a rebellious act that will leave you feeling like you have glitter in your veins

by Julie Benda

Black-and-white photo of an older man with curly hair gazing intensely sideways, capturing detailed facial features and deep expression.

Stories and literature

guide

How to create compelling characters

It’s not only writer’s intuition. Use personality psychology to create just the right blend of surprise and believability

by Kira-Anne Pelican

Abstract, surreal artwork featuring distorted shapes and figures in soft colours with a dreamlike, fluid appearance against a dark background.

Creativity

film

Human and machine worlds converge into dizzying, dreamlike visual art

Directed by Robert Seidel