Culture & Society

The lab > Culture & Society

Culture & Society

Culture & Society

We may think our culture and values are timeless, but they are in a constant state of flux. How will society look like in the future? What will shape our culture in the coming decades? Are there things that will never change?

Is There Hope for Peace?

The unbelievable story about England and France

Is It Time to Drop Democracy?

Debunking two misconceptions about democracy

Can You Tell Rembrandt From AI?

Today, algorithms compete with great art and literature

The Future Victims of Current Wars

The last victims of World War I were killed in 2014

The Only Species That Opposes Same-Sex Activity

Is same-sex behavior natural?

What Happens When You See Earth from Space?

The mysterious phenomenon of the Overview Effect

Gender Inequality Makes Us All Poorer

You could be 23,000 dollars richer each year

Sending Messages to People in the Far Future

Radioactive waste, ray cats and miscommunication

Is There a True God?

Who gets to decide which god is real? And what will gods look like in the future?

Why Do We Tell Ourselves Stories?

What’s the missing word in Didion’s quote?

The Untold History of Fashion

When did humans start wearing clothes, and why?

The Only Lasting Truth

What’s the missing word in Butler’s quote?

What Are Human Beings?

What are the missing words in Rushkoff’s quote?

Why We Read Books

What’s the missing word in Le Guin’s quote?

From Ancient Myths to Superhero Comics

What’s humanity’s oldest creation story?

When Does One Really Start Living?

What’s the missing word in Martin Luther King’s quote?

Nothing in Life is to Be Feared

What’s the missing word in Curie’s quote?

What Are Identities, Really?

What’s the missing word in Harari’s quote?

Hanna Arendt’s Dangerous Enterprise

What’s the missing word in Arendt’s quote?

The Highest Forms of Understanding

What’s the missing word in Feynman’s quote?

The Greatest Danger to Our Future

What’s the missing word in Goodall’s quote?

The Ocean Doesn’t Have to Be Dirty

What’s the missing word in Gandhi’s quote?

What Is the Universe Made of?

What’s the missing word in Rukeyser’s quote?

What’s Our Role on This Planet?

What’s the missing word in Clarke’s quote?

What Will Love Look Like in the Future?

How will 21st century technology transform romance and sex?

Coming soon

What Literature Says About Being Human

Storytelling may be what makes us human. But where does it come from?

Coming soon

Big Bang to AI: The Evolution of Music

The weird connection between Beyoncé and ancient fish

Coming soon

How Ancient Are the Pyramids, Really?

And what will the 22nd century’s monuments look like?

Coming soon

Where Did the Alphabet Come From?

The history of writing has some unexpected twists and turns

Coming soon

In the 21st Century, We’re All Globalists

You may not consider yourself a globalist, but in the 21st century we all are

Inside Someone Else’s Head

What’s the missing word in Gaiman’s quote?

Human Beings’ Uniqueness

What’s the missing word in Adams’ quote?