Margaret Atwood, the Prophet of Dystopia
A profile of the novelist who has conjured up a series of dystopian worlds that on occasion now seem all too recognisable.
You Are the Product
John Lanchester reviews three books on social media, the war for attention, and Silicon Valley giants. His conclusion? “I am scared of Facebook”.
The complete history of Civilization
A history of the seminal strategy computer game provides insight into the process of creation, development using ever-evolving technologies, and how to create sequels when your first edition spans all of human history.
An education in terror
A piece relating the experiences of former IS recruits living in Europe and the military and ideological education they received when living in the caliphate.
Aliens in our midst
Whilst we look for alien life on other planets, this piece examines ctenophores – creatures closer to home that are “profoundly different from any other animal on Earth” – so much so in fact that they may be on an entirely different evolutionary path to their planetary cohabitants.
How Aristotle Created the Computer
A piece looking at the history of computers through ideas, rather than through devices – tracing the path from Aristotelian logic to computer science.
Journal’s Best of the Best 2017
We’ve collected together pieces reviewing the best of 2017, covering journalism, music, cinema, podcasts and more. We’ve also picked one piece from each collection that we particularly liked. We’ll keep updating the post for the next week.
Christopher Nolan: “I’ve not fought in a war, it’s my worst nightmare to do so”
An interview with the successful director on the process of making his latest epic Dunkirk, his first film based on real events.
Google Maps’ Moat
A cartographer produces a deep dive into the extraordinary level of detail being built into Google Maps and the methodology behind it. The piece provides a valuable insight into cartography in the digital age and its impact on technology.
Postpartum psychosis: “I’m afraid of how you’ll judge me, as a mother and as a person”
A piece on postpartum psychosis, by an author (and NHS Research Fellow) who experienced it herself after the birth of her daughter.