https://arab.news/nzvqa
Authors: Melissa Leach & James Fairhead
Are language and culture uniquely human, justifying an exceptionalism that sets people apart from the rest of nature?
New discoveries in the biological sciences have challenged this assumption, finding syntax, symbolism and social learning beyond the human, and identifying culture as a second inheritance system across the phyla from whales to insects and plants.
Biologists are constrained, however, by the mechanistic ways communication is understood.
How did superpower competition and the cold war affect writers in the decolonizing world? In “The Aesthetic Cold War,” Peter Kalliney explores the various ways that rival states used cultural diplomacy and the political police to influence writers.
In response, many writers from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean — such as Chinua Achebe, Mulk Raj Anand, Eileen Chang, C.L.R. James, Alex La Guma, Doris Lessing, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and Wole Soyinka — carved out a vibrant conceptual space of aesthetic nonalignment, imagining a different and freer future for their work.
Authors: David Attenborough, Colin Butfield
Drawing a course across David Attenborough’s own lifetime, Ocean takes readers through eight unique ocean habitats, through countless intriguing species, and through the most astounding discoveries of the last 100 years, to a future vision of a fully restored marine world, even richer and more spectacular than we could possibly hope.
Ocean reveals the past, present and potential future of our blue planet.
As a graduate student at MIT, Steve Ramirez successfully created false memories in the lab. Now, as a neuroscientist working at the frontiers of brain science, he foresees a future where we can replace our negative memories with positive ones.
“In How to Change a Memory,” Ramirez draws on his own memories—of friendship, family, loss, and recovery—to reveal how memory can be turned on and off like a switch, edited, and even constructed from nothing.
A future in which we can change our memories of the past may seem improbable, but in fact, the everyday act of remembering is one of transformation.
Imagine having a manual for the brain, the remarkable, mysterious machine that powers thoughts, dreams, and creativity, and stands as the force behind human civilization, setting our species apart from all others on Earth.
“The Brain: Everything You Need to Know” by Alison George, published by New Scientist, breaks down consciousness, memory, intelligence, and even why we dream, in a way that is light and easy to follow. It avoids scientific jargon, making it a good choice for readers who are curious about the brain but don’t want to get lost in technical details.
Along the way, the book asks a fundamental question: How can we understand, and even improve, the way our minds function?
The book argues that the brain is far more complex than we tend to assume. Many of its processes happen outside of conscious awareness, and even the ways we make decisions, form memories, or dream are shaped by forces we barely notice.
Understanding the brain, the book suggests, requires accepting that much of what drives us happens invisibly.
One chapter that stands out takes a closer look at the unconscious mind, described as the brain’s “unsung hero.” It’s where habits live and decisions form long before they reach awareness. Everyday actions like walking, typing, or even choosing what to eat are often driven by this autopilot system. The book explores how deeply the unconscious shapes behavior, challenging the idea that we are always fully in control of our actions.
Some of the chapters are short and punchy, which keeps the pace moving, but this also means the book doesn’t spend enough time exploring some of the topics. It can feel more like an introduction to neuroscience than a true exploration of it. For readers seeking a light, engaging overview of the mind’s mysteries, this approach may work well. Those hoping for deeper engagement, however, might be left wanting more.
