Culture

youth
Today’s young people are intelligent and kind, but they are overworked and burned out.
John Templeton Foundation
cat people
People who rate themselves as highly knowledgeable about cats are more likely to interact with cats in ways they don't like.
We're still using 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid a year, but burials are becoming far less common.
Learning Ecosystem
Much like energy and nutrients flow in a continuous cycle between the elements of a natural ecosystem, a free flow of knowledge fuels the growth of a learning ecosystem.
An interactive “globe of notability” shows the curious correspondences and the strange landscape of global fame.
In the wake of the pandemic, the crystal industry boomed, with customers hoping the stones might relieve a little anxiety.
deaths of despair
Deaths of despair are skyrocketing in the U.S., while at the same time, they are falling in other wealthy countries. What are we doing wrong?
multiverse
Quite a lot, actually, even though it has no identifiable value as a scientific concept.
Bernini created art for 8 different popes. In the process, he helped reinforce and redefine Christianity’s visual culture.
The Spanish language has the ability to minimize and exaggerate by the simple addition of a suffix.
color combinations
Independent of cultural background, people seem to share a sense of what makes certain color combinations aesthetically pleasing.
elon musk twitter
Elon Musk's successful bid to take over Twitter has fragmented the internet along predictably partisan lines. But only time will tell whether this is a good or bad thing.
Urinating in the direction of NATO’s staunchest opponent could cost you $350 or more. For world peace, aim wisely.
litter morality
When we fail to help in a bad situation, we are morally responsible. So, why don't we pick up others' litter?
Japanese Shinto religion shrine
Online Shinto communities have existed since the birth of the internet as we know it.
February 22nd, 2022.
This century alone has already had a couple of Onesdays (1/11/11 and 11/11/11).
gritter
To clear Scotland’s roads in winter, the local traffic agency employs heavy machinery with punny names. Can you grit and bear it?
crossword puzzles
Long before the Wordle mania, there was the crossword puzzle craze. And newspapers around the world condemned them as an “invasive weed” that caused mental illnesses and even murder.
chess
It has been 50 years since an American has claimed the title of World Chess Champion. Will it ever happen again?
If you put very fine black powder powder in a confined space it explodes in a cloud of heat, gas and noise.
all i want for christmas
The singer-songwriter distilled the essence of the holidays into a hit song, and for her efforts she was crowned the Queen of Christmas.