Symbols and myth
Spirituality and religion
idea
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
Creativity
idea
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
Memory and nostalgia
film
Butterflies are reborn as memories of a past love in this striking visual poem
Directed by Sofia El Khyari
Symbols and myth
idea
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
Animals
idea
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
Nature and the environment
idea
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
Wonder and the sublime
idea
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