🦁 Africa

• 🕊️Forgiveness

  Exploring the science of forgiveness.

• 🧩Complexity

  Explore the stories from our three-part research series on complexity from the Santa Fe Institute, a leader of groundbreaking, multidisciplinary research on complex systems.

• 🌍What Is Cultural Evolution?

  Explore how cultural evolution shapes societies and predicts future changes, from songbirds' trills to the spread of lactose tolerance.

• 🗺️Dividing the Desert

  A ceremonial pickaxe blow launches the audacious project to divide the desert and link two seas via the Suez Canal.

• 🕯️What the World Has to Learn from the Philosophy of Afro-Brazilian Religions

  Explore how Afro-Brazilian religions blend diverse spiritual elements to address modern life’s complexities.

• 🤔One Million Years Ago, How Did Humans Think?

  Fossil digs and fMRIs offer new insights into the ways early humans lived and thought, more than a million years ago.

• 🌐How to Develop a Belief Network

  Studying the development and diversity of religious cognition and behavior.

• 🕊️Act Like a Holy Man

  A new film will celebrate the lives, friendship and insights of two of our time’s most revered spiritual leaders - Desmond Tutu and the 14th Dalai Lama

• 📚A Browsable, Theological Treasure-Chest

  The new St. Andrews Encyclopædia of Theology hopes to make complex theological topics accessible for people of all backgrounds

• 🙏Christianity and Social Change in Contemporary Africa

  Across the continent, scholars are offering fresh insights into the dynamic role of religion in the lives of Africans

• 🌌A Night for the Ages

  Marcelo Gleiser receives the 2019 Templeton Prize at the Met, blending ancient myths with cutting-edge cosmology in an unforgettable ceremony.

• 🤝Need-based transfers and the origins of human cooperation

  Giving without expecting repayment is not only more common than previously thought, it may also be more crucial for cultures to survive and flourish

• 🕊️The Case of “Secret Society” Religions

  Claiming supernatural power for their members and wielding lasting economic influence, secret societies may represent a key stage in human institution-building

• 🤔Theologically-Engaged Anthropology

  Anthropologists are sometimes ill-equipped to interpret the religious motivations of their subjects. A new initiative is trying to change that.

• 🌍Freedom Forum Global Expansion

  From Oslo to Johannesburg and beyond, writing the next chapter for a storied human rights gathering

• 🏛️Six Modern Capitals With Ancient Roots

  Explore how six capitals, including Athens and Beirut, have evolved from ancient roots to modern metropolises, blending rich histories with contemporary life.

• 🐘Ten Famous Elephants From History

  Explore the colossal impact of 10 historic elephants, from war behemoths to symbols of regal diplomacy.

• 📏Who invented the metric system?

  Discover how French revolutionaries standardized measurements and gave us the metric system, simplifying everything from science to daily life.

• 🌊What is the Longest River in the World?

  Explore the riveting race for the title of the world's longest river, where the Amazon and Nile vie closely under the scrutiny of modern geography.

• 📝A History of Coffee in 10 Buzzwords

  Although it was possibly consumed as a food or drink in its native Ethiopian highlands, the evergreen shrub Coffea arabica was first cultivated even earlier.

• 🏛️Articles | Ancient History for History.com

  In 2012, I explored a range of fascinating topics related to ancient civilizations, covering the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Near Eastern cultures. Each piece provides insight into their rich histories and lasting legacies.

• 🌍Portfolio | ZanaAfrica

  Reflecting on a meaningful design journey for ZanaAfrica, a nonprofit focused on impactful messaging.

• 🌍Man/Woman/Boy/Girl

  Exploring the juxtaposition of creative discipline and artistic representation in a global context.

• 📖Citation Needed

  Reflecting on the quirks and community-driven nature of Wikipedia's content and editing processes.

• 🎶Secular praise songs from Western Kenya

  A fascinating exploration of The Kawere Boys, a popular Benga group from Kenya, showcasing the interwoven relationships between artist and patron through music in Luo culture.

• ⏳How not to do your physics homework

  Reflecting on the intersection of scientific ambition and historical significance, this narrative explores the entangled destinies of Foucault's pendulum and the Bunker Hill Monument.

• 🥾The gift that keeps on giving?

  From Zac Mason, a reflection on the unintended consequences of consumer charity in Mali.

• 🎶Mix CD | NY/ROBI

  An exploration of the connections between Africa and New York through music, including a unique take on Babatunde Olatunji's "Akiwowo."

• 🎸My charango

  A journey into the world of the charango, a unique Andean instrument, as I reflect on my musical exploration and the cultural significance behind it.

• 🎨Design, color, and cultural power

  A Portuguese communication designer reflects on the cultural richness of her students in Mozambique and their misconceptions about design practices.

• 🚴Everyday South Africans and their bicycles

  A reflection on the representation of Africa in mainstream media, contrasted with a celebration of South African cyclists and their stories.

• 📸OK, and now can we get one with the torn shirt? Thanks!

  The portrayal of poverty in media often lacks depth and dignity; this project aims to reveal a fuller picture of individuals' lives.

• 🎨The polychromatic Middle Ages

  Exploring the splendid visual motifs of the Middle Ages through the vibrant aesthetic of Auguste Racinet's _L'Ornament Polychrome_, showcasing art from ancient to 18th-century Europe.

• 🍲If you can’t control your moustache ..

  A fascinating collection of proverbs about women and soup from cultures around the world reveals both humorous and thought-provoking insights. Here are some intriguing examples

• 🌍The Garifuna Mass

  New York City's linguistic tapestry showcases endangered languages thriving in unexpected places.

• 🌍The right book at the right time

  A fascinating journey unfolds as Tété-Michel Kpomassie escapes a jungle snake cult in Togo and embarks on his dream to experience the icy landscapes of Greenland.

• 🎨Street Musicians by William H. Johnson

  William H. Johnson's vibrant art captures the essence of street musicians, blending folk influences with expressionist techniques.

• ⚙️Sublime technologies

  Christine Rosen reflects on the evolution of human awe toward machines from the marvel of the dynamo to the mundanity of modern technology.

• ♿Give me a lever long enough and I shall move the world

  A remarkable student-designed all-terrain wheelchair utilizing standard bicycle parts for better accessibility in developing countries.

• 🎶A graphical analysis of national anthem lyrics

  My quest to learn "La Marseillaise" led me to explore the curious and often violent lyrics of national anthems from around the world.

• 🎬Our year in culture - Books, movies, and music of 2009, part 1

  This piece explores personal favorites in film, literature, and music from 2009, weaving together experiences and reflections on art and culture.

• 🏷️“What’s your name?”

  Reflecting on the struggle of identity and the pressure to conform in the job market.

• 🏛️Life and taxes

  A fascinating exploration of how colonial tax policies have left lasting impacts on governance in Nigeria.

• 🇱🇧Food flags

  A delightful exploration of national cuisines represented as flags, showcasing Lebanon's specialties among other global favorites.

• ✍️Beach calligraphy by Andrew van der Merwe

  South African calligrapher Andrew van der Merwe showcases his unique sand carving technique on a Belgian beach.

• 📜The Shettima Kagu Qur’an

  Exploring the depths of archaic Saharan languages through beautiful Qur'anic manuscripts from Nigeria.

• 📖In the beginning was the story

  A profound reflection on the interplay between human and divine storytelling.

• 🗣️The subtle clicks of N|uu

  A fascinating exploration of endangered click languages and cutting-edge imaging technology.

• 📜Fourth century Bible goes digital

  A celebration of the cultural preservation efforts at the monastery on Mt. Sinai, highlighting the digitization of the Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest existing copy of the Bible.

• 🎨Man on Flying Machine, by Yinka Shonibare

  Yinka Shonibare's captivating sculptures challenge notions of race and class through the lens of historical European fashion and contemporary African identity.