La Chimera: exploring mystical realities

Writer: Alice RohrwacherDirector: Alice RohrwacherCast: Josh O’Connor, Carol Duarte, Vincenzo Nemolato, Alba Rohrwacher La Chimera, directed by Alice Rohrwacher, is a poetic dive into the transformative power of art and human connection. This film, which artfully blends reality with a sense of the ethereal, manages to captivate the viewers from its very first frame. Rohrwacher,… Continue reading La Chimera: exploring mystical realities

Problemista: Julio Torres crafts a whimsical and heartfelt cinematic debut

Writer: Julio TorresDirector: Julio TorresCast: Tilda Swinton, Julio Torres, RZA, Greta Lee Julio Torres makes a stellar debut as a writer, director and star in “Problemista,” a uniquely funny, delightfully whimsical, and smart odyssey through art, connection and perseverance. Best known for creating the TV show “Los Espookys,” Torres now takes on the big screen,… Continue reading Problemista: Julio Torres crafts a whimsical and heartfelt cinematic debut

Despicable Me 4: a chaotic symphony of laughter and good fun

“Despicable Me 4” continues the animated adventures of Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) and his quirky family, set in the delightfully absurd world of supervillains and their day-to-day lives. Directed by Chris Renaud, this latest installment in the franchise tries to juggle multiple storylines, resulting in a mixed bag of comedic highs and narrative lows.… Continue reading Despicable Me 4: a chaotic symphony of laughter and good fun

UK slides in corruption perception index after series of political scandals

The UK has fallen down Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index (CPI) after a year of high-profile government scandals. The CPI is not a measure of corruption itself but a measure of how much corruption is perceived to exist across a country’s public sector. For the UK government, already focusing very much on the next general election amid multiple scandals, perception matters.… Continue reading UK slides in corruption perception index after series of political scandals

Mind-reading technology has arrived

{Nolan Zunk/The University of Texas at Austin}

An AI-powered “brain decoder” can now read your thoughts with surprising accuracy. Scientists from the University of Texas at Austin have achieved a groundbreaking feat: translating people’s brain activity, including their unspoken thoughts, into actual speech. This development, detailed in a study published in Nature, marks a significant advancement in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. Traditionally,… Continue reading Mind-reading technology has arrived

Wise women: six ancient female philosophers you should know about

Aspasia teaching Socrates the art of debate, painted by Nicolas André Monsiaux

When we conjure up ancient philosophers the image that springs to mind might be a bald Socrates discoursing with young men in the sun, or a scholarly Aristotle lecturing among cool columns. But what about Aspasia, the foreign mistress of the foremost politician in Athens who gave both political and erotic advice? Or Sosipatra, mystic, mother… Continue reading Wise women: six ancient female philosophers you should know about

The children of LGBTQ+ parents are being stripped of their birth certificates in Italy

{AP/Fabio Frustaci}

Prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition disapproves of LGBTQ+ couples raising children together and says the country’s laws do not allow children to have two mothers. Without warning, Michela Leidi was officially cancelled as the mother of her daughter on the infant’s birth certificate in January. ‘I cried for ten days when I opened the letter, it… Continue reading The children of LGBTQ+ parents are being stripped of their birth certificates in Italy

Frankenstein: how Mary Shelley’s sci-fi classic offers lessons for us today about the dangers of playing God

Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus, is an 1818 novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Set in the late 18th century, it follows scientist Victor Frankenstein’s creation of life and the terrible events that are precipitated by his abandonment of his creation. It is a Gothic novel in that it combines supernatural elements with horror, death and… Continue reading Frankenstein: how Mary Shelley’s sci-fi classic offers lessons for us today about the dangers of playing God

From France to Italy, Hungary to Sweden, voting intentions track the far-right’s rise in Europe

{FPA-EFE/Matteo Bazzi}

A little over a year since leader of Fratelli d’Italia Georgia Meloni rose to power in Italy, the latest data spells out a clear message: she is not the only ultraright politician surfing on voters’ anxieties. In fact, we may be entering a new cycle of far-right extremism across the continent, with heavy stakes for… Continue reading From France to Italy, Hungary to Sweden, voting intentions track the far-right’s rise in Europe

Pixar Lays Off 14% of its Employees

Last year, Pixar Animation Studios, a subsidiary of Walt Disney, had already eliminated 75 positions, including key creatives behind the box office disappointment “Lightyear,” sources told Reuters. Now, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) is reporting that an additional 14% of Pixar’s workforce has been laid off as part of Disney’s cost-cutting efforts. This marks the largest… Continue reading Pixar Lays Off 14% of its Employees