Balinese Art, Worm Consciousness, and Exoplanets

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The Dynamic Art of Bali (Sapiens)
by Annie Tucker and Robert Lemelson
In the 1930s, Balinese artists’ encounters with European and American anthropologists and artists created new styles that still influence both Indonesian and Euro-American art today.

The Mind of a Worm (Aeon)
by Kristin Andrews
Researchers studying consciousness in animals normally start with our closest relatives and other big-brained mammals. What would we find if we instead looked at simpler creatures who think with a fraction of the neurons we use?

How to Be Uncertain (Nautilus)
by Maggie Jackson
Changing our minds can be difficult. But experiencing uncertainty about the things we think we know is a crucial part of fighting biases and thinking clearly. Fortunately, not-knowing is a quality we can cultivate.

You, Yes You, Could Discover a Planet (Wired)
by Swapna Krishna
Today’s technology brings us unfathomable volumes of data about phenomena in deep space. There aren’t enough professionals seeking planets orbiting distant stars to sort through it. That’s where citizen scientists come in.

The Trouble with Griefbots (Vox)
by Mihika Agarwal
The new generation of AI chatbots lets people simulate conversations with relatives who have died—for a fee. Is this a helpful service or exploitation of people at their lowest?

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