Aeon Articles

Building an artificial scientist Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) ‘Artificial scientists’ can use machine-learning algorithms to design experiments that are beyond the intuition of humans - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Beanbag genetics Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Today a bitter dispute about the nature of biology is underway. A simple bag of beans may be what tips the balance - by Zachary B Hancock Read at Aeon

Wicked women? 500 years of witches Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Sometimes wicked but always powerful. Why did witches transform from figures of fear to figures of entertainment and aspiration? - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Shame and revolution Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Vietnam’s potent and storied anticolonialism is founded upon a unique sense of national shame - by Kevin D Pham Read at Aeon

On unstable ground Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) A ‘great reshuffle’ of the land is underway. It will force us to reconsider traditional ideas of property and ownership - by Michael Albertus Read at Aeon

The things we don’t say Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Thirty years after the Rwandan genocide, a therapist helps young adults born from rape navigate stigma and family trauma - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

By the light of brahman Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Ideas from classical Indian philosophy help illuminate the enigmas of selfhood, consciousness and the nature of reality - by Anand Vaidya & Manjula Menon Read at Aeon

Taiga Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) A haunting elegy to the boreal forests of Finland hand-scratched onto 16mm film with fleeting glimpses of local plant life - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Does testosterone make men? Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) In probing whether there are basic sex differences in humans, a psychologist and a biologist agree to seriously disagree - by Cordelia Fine & Carole Hooven Read at Aeon

The lonely life of a glyph-breaker Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) The heroic days of deciphering hieroglyphics and cuneiform make for great stories, but will we ever see that happen again? - by Francesco Perono Cacciafoco Read at Aeon

The search for America: human fulfilment Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) What is the highest goal our lives can achieve? Paul Tillich and Mark Van Doren’s insights from the 1950s are illuminating today - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

What actors know Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Acting is an ancient and intrinsically human way to establish vibrant connections with one another. And it’s available to us all - by John Britton Read at Aeon

Raising the threshold Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) The World Bank’s poverty line is inaccurate and out of date – an error that obscures the feebleness of market solutions - by Attrishu Bordoloi Read at Aeon

Nanoscapes Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) With electron microscopes that magnify butterfly wings 50,000 times their original size, a hidden ‘topography’ emerges - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Clear sky Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Vova and Roma, two Ukrainian boys, spend their summer in the ever-present shadow of war in this affecting short film - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Autism’s missing women Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Long believed to be particularly associated with males, new research is revolutionising our understanding of autism - by Gina Rippon Read at Aeon

The stagnation of physics Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Physicists today need to jettison the all-too-attractive myth that they are uncovering the hidden reality of our Universe - by Adrien De Sutter Read at Aeon

Woodcut printmaker Tom Killion Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Inspired by Japanese master artists, a woodcut printmaker is constantly reimagining the landscapes of his California home - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon

Why the cat wags her tail Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) Here’s a puzzle: how could evolution favour such a costly, frivolous and fun activity as animal play? - by Mathilde Tahar-Malaussena Read at Aeon

Salone love Aeon | a world of ideas (RSS) A playful collage of audio interviews captures candid and revealing reflections on love, sex and marriage in Sierra Leone - by Aeon Video Watch at Aeon