Once upon a time, a congregation’s nuns would bake the communion wafers. They would mix equal parts white flour and pure water until a crepe-like batter formed; then they added yeast and salt. They would ladle the mixture onto a glorified waffle maker, rigged with flat griddle plates occasionally adorned with biblical symbols. They stacked […]
IDEAS
[VIDEO] I Have a Small Heart (Japan)
What does pilgrimage mean in an age of instant communication and high-speed travel? わたしのチイサナココロ [i have a small heart] from Bajir Cannon on Vimeo.
The Bilingual Brain
Editor’s Note: There is nothing that bridges personal distance as much as a shared language. I recently read an article on hyperpolyglots and the ease with which they can navigate new places because of their languages. I can barely manage two languages, but I’m working on it. Bilingualism has been shown to expand the mind […]
In Space, There Really Might Be No Place Like Home
Editor’s Note: Space tourism is on the horizon, but while SpaceX and Blue Origin contemplate our new space home, Robert Hazen tells us a little bit about what makes our current home unique. By Robert Hazen Few topics in science command as much attention as the discovery of extrasolar planets – those as-yet-unseen worlds, light years beyond […]
How to Be a Travel Writer (a good one)
*This article contains affiliate link(s). Any affiliate link means that I may earn advertising/referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, without any extra cost to you. It helps to keep this magazine afloat and allows us to compensate our writers. Thank you for your support.* We are constantly receiving amazing submissions to […]
The Struggle of Women in Science is Written in the Stars
Editor’s note: Finishing up a summer in which a total solar eclipse was a highlight, I was struck by how many people trekked across the United Stated and camped out under the stars to witness the fleeting moment of darkness and silence of this celestial event. I was dumbstruck when I read Leila A. McNeill’s […]
Feel-good fractals: from ocean waves to Jackson Pollock’s art
By Florence Williams When Richard Taylor was 10 years old in the early 1970s in England, he chanced upon a catalogue of Jackson Pollock paintings. He was mesmerised, or perhaps a better word is Pollockised. Franz Mesmer, the crackpot 18th-century physician, posited the existence of animal magnetism between inanimate and animate objects. Pollock’s abstractions also […]
Go: What I’m Reading
By Adria Carey Perez Here’s my monthly round-up of links, books, articles, and other things I like that round out my ideas about the issue. If you like something, leave a comment. If you have something to recommend, contact me! I’m always looking for reading material. By subscribing to my newsletter, you will receive more […]
How to be a Hero/Explorer (or Before Indiana Jones)
Before Indiana Jones Came Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron By Blake Smith Before Indiana Jones and Lawrence of Arabia, came Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron. Born in 1731, Anquetil was the original Orientalist-adventurer: a European scholarly expert of Asian culture who also embodied bold, heroic action in the field. His speciality was the roots of ancient religions in Asia. […]
Sea: What I’m Reading
By Adria Carey Perez As a voracious reader, I come across all kinds of interesting articles, books, and blogs. Every issue, I will share links to some of the best things I’ve found related to the issue’s theme: you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scratch your head, and you’ll go away a little smarter. I’m always […]