One of the cardinal rules of museum-going is that the art works should never be touched. However, as this short documentary from the Museum of Modern Art interrogates, Japanese artist Yoko Ono’s ‘Painting to Be Stepped On’ (1960-61) upturned this rule
In 1852, the astronomer Nils Haqvin Selander travelled past the Arctic to complete a massively time consuming and difficult project – measuring the shape of the Earth. But why was this so important? And why does measurement matter to science at all? Read the Essay by Miguel Ohnesorge to find out
For Los Angeles residents, it’s hard to imagine a time when smog was a novelty. But from paranoid suspicion to public-health crisis, there’s many surprises the history of Los Angeles’s smog problem, as told in this short documentary
If aliens are out there, what kind of language would they use? This question is posed by philosopher Nikhil Mahant in his Aeon Essay ‘Extraterrestrial Tongues’, as highlighted in this video by Senior Editor Richard Fisher buff.ly/dDqPg3A
Love and morality are often thought of as distinct from one another, but for Iris Murdoch, they are intertwined. Today, Aeon’s Consultant Senior Editor Nigel Warburton invites you to revisit this illuminating Essay from the archive buff.ly/MydX8vB
'It began with one man’s ecstatic philosophy of human extinction,’ the philosopher Vincent Lê writes in this urgently needed unpacking of accelerationism. Tracing the evolution of Nick Land, who originated the concept, Lê dives deep into how we’ve ended up in this strange moment
This #WorldEnvironmentDay, we are reminded that climate change is not only happening around us, but ‘the plague-clouds are within us, too.’ This essay from the archive explores how environmental harm can shape our brains
London! Join us on 16 June as we explore the unique connection between humanness and language with archaeologist Steven Mithen. Click the link for ticket and event details sophiaclub.co/event/did-la...
Today on #WorldOceansDay, we’re featuring this video which provides an unprecedented look at the intricate, interconnected flow of ocean currents. With stunning visuals, it illustrates the factors that propel the ceaseless oceanic movement of this global ‘conveyer belt’
What is the life of a child influencer like when the cameras are off? As outlined here by Video Assistant Pia Rios, the short documentary ‘Christmas, Every Day’ juxtaposes more conventional images of childhood with the hyperreal world of content creation aeon.co/videos/the-c...
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Yoko Ono’s painting invites us to step on it, challenging both galleries and audiences. Why is touch transgressive?
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The extraordinary challenge of determining the true shape of Earth reveals the deep value of measurement to scientific progress
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When smog descended upon Los Angeles in 1943, it was mistaken for a Japanese attack. The real culprit was closer to home
