ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK The Essence Of Surrealism Key Takeaway: André Breton’s “Manifesto of Surrealism” in 1928 sparked an art movement known for creating bizarre hybrids of words and images, often generated through chance. This approach was believed to stimulate the unconscious mind to cultivate new insights. Surrealist artists like Max Ernst used techniques like decalcomania and the “exquisite corpse” to create unique […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK Who Really Was Mona Lisa? Key Takeaway: The Mona Lisa, a Renaissance icon, has been a subject of debate for over half a millennium. The painting has been traditionally associated with Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. However, another theory suggests Isabella of Aragon, a princess deeply entwined in the political and cultural fabric of […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK TECHNOLOGY The Science Fiction Feedback Loop Key Takeaway: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sparked controversy by referencing the 2013 movie “Her” to highlight the novelty of ChatGPT’s latest iteration. Actor Scarlett Johansson accused the company of improperly using her voice after she spurned their offer to make her the voice of ChatGPT’s new virtual assistant. This highlights the “sci-fi feedback loop,” which […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK The Source Of Surrealism Key Takeaway: Surrealist artists, such as Man Ray and Salvador Dalí, used randomness in their artistic practice to create unique and captivating images. Techniques like decalcomania, where paint is applied to a surface, and the “exquisite corpse” where sentences are divided into different parts of speech, have been applied to various creative ventures. The Blackwing […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK The Myths Of Method Acting Key Takeaway: Oscar nominees Cillian Murphy and Bradley Cooper are gaining attention for their performances and preparation methods. Murphy lost 20 pounds and practiced fake cigarettes to mimic Oppenheimer’s appearance, while Cooper spent six years training in conducting. Method acting, a psychological approach, is often used to make characters seem more real and believable. However, […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK How Great Was Beethoven Really? Key Takeaway: On its 200th anniversary, the Ninth Symphony, premiered in Vienna in 1824, was praised as the greatest master of Western classical music. However, the lionization of Beethoven never sat well with some, leading to a backlash. The author reframed Beethoven’s greatness within the context of historic ideals of whiteness and patriarchy, arguing that […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK The Art Of Photography: What Makes A Photo Good? Key Takeaway: A quality photograph can be influenced by six dimensions: production and presentation, technical aspects, who or what is shown, composition, psycho-physiological, and narrative. Production and presentation factors include factors in front and behind the lens, such as comfort, awareness of being observed, viewing size and context, and technical aspects like exposure, focus, and […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN EDITOR'S PICK POLITICS The Problem With Fashion Key Takeaway: The fashion industry relies on storytelling to create fashionable garments and spread positive messages about issues. However, it can also drive overconsumption and perpetuate unrealistic beauty expectations. The industry’s global reach allows for easy sharing of visual cues and messaging, especially during times of social and political unease. The UN’s report urges storytellers, […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK How Art Can Help Us Rethink Sleep Key Takeaway: Sleep loss is often seen as a personal responsibility, with consumer products and media reporting treating it as a personal issue. However, recognizing sleep as a cultural issue can help us rethink our relationship with sleep and recognize how it exposes competing agendas. Literature and art can help challenge dominant visions of sleep, […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
ART & DESIGN CULTURE EDITOR'S PICK The Secret Recipe Of Disney Films Key Takeaway: Disney has a rich musical legacy, with landmark films featuring musical numbers that remain household favourites today. The studio’s first sound film, Steamboat Willie, (1928), established Disney as the leading animation studio. The silent era of cinema (1923-1928) saw films without soundtracks but often accompanied by local organists or pianists. The Alice Comedies […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
What Exactly Is Color? Key Takeaway: Color may seem subjective, but it is far more objective than many people assume. Research into philosophy and science reveals that colors are just as real as features like mass or temperature, not just tricks of the mind. Objects can appear different under shifting conditions, but the essential properties of objects remain intact […] Written by Empirics Asia April 29, 2025April 29, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How Human Networks Planted The Seeds Of Civilisation Key Takeaway: Researchers have used mathematical models to simulate the spread of farming, focusing on human contact as the driving force. They adapted predator-prey models to simulate the overlap of farming and foraging communities. The study found that direct human contact, whether friendly or hostile, played a central role in the expansion of farming. Small-scale […] Written by Empirics Asia April 28, 2025April 28, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Did We Just Discover Life On A Distant Planet? Key Takeaway: A new study published in Nature Astronomy claims that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected atmospheric signals on K2-18b, a distant world 124 light-years from Earth. The researchers found traces of molecules often associated with biological activity on Earth, including dimethyl sulphide (DMS). The scientists are 99.7% confident in the presence […] Written by Empirics Asia April 21, 2025April 21, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why So Many People Believe In The Supernatural Key Takeaway: Belief in the supernatural, including ghosts, spirits, astrology, and psychic powers, is more common than people might expect. These beliefs offer a sense of control, meaning, and comfort in the face of life’s unpredictability. They fall outside the boundaries of conventional science and include ideas like fate, spiritual forces, and life after death. […] Written by Empirics Asia April 18, 2025April 18, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Future Merging Of Mind And Machine Key Takeaway: Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is rapidly redefining human potential, with breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and machine learning enabling the translation of thoughts into action. The brain is a complex network of over 80 billion neurons, processing thoughts, memories, emotions, and sensory inputs. Advances in AI, miniaturized electronics, and neuroimaging have led to the […] Written by Empirics Asia April 16, 2025April 16, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Hard Problem Of A.I. Key Takeaway: AI systems are often portrayed as human, but they are not sentient, conscious, or feeling. They lack the interoceptive feedback that shapes human cognition and are not able to understand the content they produce. This disconnect creates a gulf between real consciousness and synthetic simulation. The illusion of humanity projected by AI becomes […] Written by Empirics Asia April 15, 2025April 15, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How Microscopic Creatures In The Antarctic Could Revolutionise Science Key Takeaway: Antarctica’s tiny invertebrates, such as mites, springtails, and tardigrades, have developed strategies to survive extreme cold conditions. These adaptations, known as freeze tolerance and avoidance, allow them to survive below zero temperatures without damage. These survival mechanisms could inform future innovations in areas such as organ preservation and materials engineering. Understanding how these […] Written by Empirics Asia April 14, 2025April 14, 2025 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Rethinking Education Key Takeaways: The Industrial model of education that fueled the modern era and its dizzying reach did its job incredibly well. In his writing, Flynn illustrates study after study, spanning nations and decades, in which modern educational gift of abstraction — a transcendent sign of intelligence, as we saw in Raven’s Matrices — has been […] Written by Anthony Fieldman March 2, 2022October 19, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How China Is Transforming Its Economy Through Learning I highly recommend reading the McKinsey Global Institute’s new report, “Reskilling China: Transforming The World’s Largest Workforce Into Lifelong Learners”, which focuses on the country’s biggest employment challenge, re-training its workforce and the adoption of practices such as lifelong learning to address the growing digital transformation of its productive fabric. How to transform the country […] Written by Enrique Dans February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why You’re Not Seeing Success With Influencer Marketing With the new year around the corner, now is a good time to re-evaluate your past marketing strategies and gear up for the year ahead. For some businesses, influencer marketing has simply not seemed to live up to its lofty promises of genuine engagement, credibility, and transparency. Some have claimed that it has been failing […] Written by Michael Tan January 14, 2021January 15, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
A New Philosophy of Business I’m about to ask you to take a mental leap. For the next 8 minutes, suspend your notions of what a business is, and I’ll propose a new lens for you to look through. There are a lot of questions asked around what “community” means for business. “Where should community fit in my organization?” and […] Written by Empirics Asia September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked