🌀 Complexity

• 🖨️Reclaiming the Cliché

  What is it that makes the output of large language models and other varieties of generative AI so interesting, and then so boring? For me the most useful operative metaphor for AI’s promise and problems is the cliche.

• 🌀What Is Emergence?

  Explore the fascinating concept of emergence, where simple elements unfold into complex systems, from galaxies to societies.

• 🧠What Is Complexity?

  Explore the intriguing world of complexity, where chaos meets order and simple systems reveal bewildering possibilities.

• 🕰️Quantum biology and the arrow of time

  Jellyfish and migratory birds may help physicists understand the mysterious shift from quantum to classical mechanics

• 🌌Space and Time After Quantum Gravity

  String theory, quantum loop gravity, and the philosophy of describing the indescribable

• 🌌String Theory and the Anthropic Universe

  Has flawed intuition created false support for the multiverse?

• 🌌A Fractured Universe – Fundamental Physics, Symmetry and Life

  Computer simulations may help tease apart why some aspects of our universe are symmetrical — and some aren’t

• 🍔We can has cheeseburger!

  Reflecting on the complexities behind something as simple as a cheeseburger, Waldo Jaquith explores the implications of our modern food systems.

• 🌍Man/Woman/Boy/Girl

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

• 🧟‍♂️Cities, wandering, serendipity and (wait for it) zombies

  A reflection on how a mobile app can transform urban navigation into a playful adventure while encouraging exploration.

• 📚Salvaje de Corazon

  A chilling reminder of the unintended consequences our cultural creations can have.

• 🎨Religious art for nonbelievers

  In exploring the significance of religious imagery in art for nonbelievers, Aaron Rosen examines how these symbols reveal deeper truths about existence.

• 🙏Even if the hymns are impossible to sing

  An exploration of David Foster Wallace's complex relationship with faith and skepticism, revealing his struggles with church and belief.

• 🗝️Save what matters least

  Reflecting on the value of what we choose to preserve, Kevin Kelly explores the significance of collecting the overlooked artifacts of our time.

• 🎭Unintentional Easter quotation of the day

  Quoting Orson Welles.

• 🍂Plundering tradition for helpful tips

  A reflection on how the pursuit of happiness may overshadow the deeper wisdom of ancient traditions.

• 🎵Early warning system

  There's a whimsical quality to these acoustic listening devices, evoking a sense of curiosity about the world around us.

• 🧠Mental illness and missing stories

  An insightful exploration of how Western ideas of mental illness are shaped by culture and may lack the complexity of their scientific underpinnings.

• 🆘“Your logo saves lives!”

  In a surprising turn of events, a logo designed for Mercy Corps has proven to be crucial for identifying aid in crisis situations.

• 🚉If you board the wrong train ..

  Quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

• 🏚️The generative richness of ruins

  Exploring the intertwined nature of creation and destruction, Rebecca Solnit reflects on the cyclical history of San Francisco’s transformations.

• ⏳Consuming like it’s 2007

  A reflection on the advantages of embracing two-year-old media and technology for a more fulfilling lifestyle.

• ✋Not all thumbs

  This study reveals how counting gestures differ across cultures, particularly between Germans and Canadians.

• 🦠HIV, by Luke Jerram

  Luke Jerram's striking glass sculptures of viruses echo the beauty and menace of microscopic life forms, evoking powerful emotions in viewers.

• 🗑️garbage is spiritual

  A.R. Ammons reflects on the spiritual significance of garbage and its role in our lives.

• 🎥Mix CD | The Mix Who Knew Too Much

  A creative exploration that challenges the balance between Alfred Hitchcock's cinematic themes and the musical landscape, while incorporating visual elements inspired by his iconic style.

• 📚What I attend to

  This week I've been experimenting with speed-reading and its impact on my attention and enjoyment of literature.

• 🎭The blurry border between having a dream and losing one’s mind

  Exploring the intertwining of dream and madness in Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo."

• 🌌Creative distance

  Exploring how psychological distance can enhance creativity reveals insights about our imaginative processes.

• 🎶Music, walking, and the power of presence

  Exploring the profound connection between movement, music, and empathy in Parkinson's disease.

• 🎬Looks like work

  An exploration of the creative challenges filmmakers face in portraying everyday digital interactions dramatically.

• 🎨The way the present looks like the past

  Quoting Jonathan Lopez.

• 🌱Real simple

  Exploring Wendell Berry's thoughts on complexity and simplicity reveals the deeper connections we must navigate in life.

• 🌱Our riches have buried our treasures

  In times of economic struggle, we may discover the true value of relationships and gratitude.

• 🌐Babel undone

  The transformative journey of a biblical story through many languages.

• 🎶Bring the noise

  Exploring the cultural significance of sound preferences, Stanford music professor Jonathan Berger discusses how MP3s resonate with modern listeners, revealing a fascinating shift in musical appreciation.

• 🎨Your failures are essential

  A reflection on the essential lessons learned from artistic failures and the journey towards creating impactful art.

• 🪞Choosing interesting enemies

  Bono reflects on the idea of enemies and internal struggles in the context of U2's music and philosophy.

• 📚Accomplices in creation

  Virginia Woolf explores the intricate relationship between readers and texts, urging us to engage as co-creators rather than mere critics.

• 📚Suggesting unsuggestions

  An exploration of the value of seeking out diverse reading experiences rather than sticking to familiar genres and preferences.

• 🗺️Six degrees of urbanization

  Exploring how interconnected human networks can help in finding loved ones, even in unfamiliar cities.

• 📚We speak volumes

  From Penelope Lively's _Moon Tiger_, a reflection on the nature of language and memory.

• 🪨Fighting time with marble

  A reflection on the timeless struggle against oblivion and the enduring power of art.

• 🕊️Idol Worship, by Laura Keeble

  An intriguing installation titled "Idol Worship" by Laura Keeble at the North Road Cemetery in Southend, UK.

• 🏡Try me

  An exploration of the Amish perspective on material culture and technological change, highlighting their unique approach to consumption.

• 🌉Electronic Superhighway - Continental U.S., by Nam June Paik

  The Mississippi River shines with a nostalgic glow, reminiscent of a historic superhighway. "[Electronic Superhighway

• 🌀The stream-of-consciousness discipline

  An exploration of how modern technology influences writing, contrasting the unfiltered flow of Kerouac's prose with the editing capabilities of contemporary word processors.

• 🌳Nabokov on the translator’s art

  An exploration of the complexities of translation through Nabokov's vivid metaphor.

• 🎶The birthplace of the blues

  Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn collaborates with Malian bluesman Ali Fakra Toure in the vibrant setting of Timbuktu.

• 🏺Blogs as ‘Cabinets of Wonder’

  Exploring the concept of blogs as modern-day "cabinets of wonder," a fascinating comparison to Renaissance collections of curiosity.