Beyond here be dragons

Humanity has mastered more of the mysteries of nature than people as recently as a century or two ago might have thought possible.

The problem of diversity

For most of human history, most people have lived among people who are pretty much the same as themselves.

Body and soul

There is a long history in the west of denigrating the body and privileging the mind.

Fear, courage, discernment

I had never heard of the US gymnast Simone Biles until one of my daughters was raving about her on Monday.

Non-binary

The psychotherapist Esther Perel observes that

Entering the tomb

Grief is a primary human emotion, and grieving an essential process.

Getting it wrong

We live in a world increasingly intolerant of getting things wrong.

Variation

Yesterday I wrote about heat – specifically when there’s too much of it.