Essays

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Longform Essays written by serious and creative thinkers on philosophy, psychology, science, society and culture

A herd of elephants walking through a dusty landscape with a blurred background of trees and bushes.

essayBiology

Desert survivors

Elephant families are matriarchal, inclusive and caring. But when environmental scarcity hits, everything changes

Caitlin O’Connell-Rodwell

A black hole, showing a glowing orange-red ring surrounded by darkness, captured by a telescope.

essayCosmology

Cosmic imposters

We know that black holes are strange, but they could be hiding something even weirder beyond their horizons

Gideon Koekoek

Abstract painting with a guitar and geometric shapes in vibrant colours including yellow, green and blue.

essayMusic

The guitarist’s palette

In the hands of a great musician, the gloriously simple guitar can create the most complex works of art. Here’s how

Craig Ogden

Watercolour painting of a person crouching, sketched with soft colours and lines, on a light background.

essayPhilosophy of mind

From cells to selves

Contemplating the world requires a body, and a body requires an immune system: the rungs of life create the stuff of thought

Anna Ciaunica

Close-up photo of hands passing a small wooden cup during a dimly lit gathering with bottles visible in the background.

essayConsciousness and altered states

A wondrous brew

From Peruvian healers battling sorcerers to Chinese executives seeking financial success, ayahuasca’s power shifts across worlds

Alex K Gearin

A cat sitting on ancient ruins with tall columns under a clear blue sky.

essayThinkers and theories

Nothing alive is alien to me

Who belongs to our moral community? The Greek philosopher Empedocles had an answer: all life, from humans to the laurel bush

Tristan Moyle

Black and white photo of a line of people marching on a city street holding signs protesting against the draft for the Vietnam War.

essayWar and peace

Not in our name

The gravest of all decisions, to go to war, happens without the consent of the people. This is a great flaw in democracy

Vincenza Falletti

Photo of rugged limestone formations at sunset with a partly cloudy sky and sea visible in the background.

essayEarth science and climate

Our phosphorescent world

This life-giving element, stored in rock and organic material, moves around Earth in an ancient cycle we have just broken

Jack Lohmann

Abstract digital artwork with smooth gradients of red and orange hues creating a warm, flowing appearance.

essayIllness and disease

The inflammation age

Acute inflammation helps the body heal. But chronic inflammation is different and could provoke a medical paradigm shift

Amy K McLennan

Vintage sepia photo of two women in Victorian attire sitting in a parlour room with floral wallpaper, reading opposite each other at writing desk.

essayTechnology and the self

‘I awoke at ½ past 7’

Our cursed age of self-monitoring and optimisation didn’t start with big tech: as so often, the Victorians are to blame

Elena Mary

Photo of a smiling woman in a green sweater talking with friends in a cosy, colourful cafe interior.

essayNeurodiversity

Mask on/mask off

People with ADHD and autism have to mask their instincts if they want to be included. But the strain exacts a very high price

Gilly Kahn

Sepia-toned photo of people labouring on a plantation with baskets and tools, set against a backdrop of hills and buildings.

essayGlobal history

The deepest South

Slavery in Latin America, on a huge scale, was different from that in the United States. Why don’t we know this history?

Ana Lucia Araujo