Arts and Humanities

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How Soundtracks Shape What We See | Dr. Alessandro Ansani

How Soundtracks Shape What We See | Dr. Alessandro Ansani

Music has the power to influence how we interpret the world around us. Dr. Alessandro Ansani from the Department of Psychology at Sapienza University of Rome believes this interpretation is multidimensional and involves several interconnected cognitive factors and mechanisms. He has recently demonstrated the significant impact that background music can have on our interpretation of a simple movie scene, by manipulating the soundtrack.

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Exploring Cyberpunk as a Post-Utopian Genre | Professor Elana Gomel

Exploring Cyberpunk as a Post-Utopian Genre | Professor Elana Gomel

Cyberpunk brings to mind neon lights, artificial intelligence and mega corporations. It is a subgenre of science fiction set in a dystopian, futuristic, and oppressive setting, with advanced technology often featured alongside societal decay. Professor Elana Gomel [ee-lah-nah go-mell] in the Department of English and American Studies at Tel-Aviv University in Israel specialises in narrative theory with a particular focus on the intersection between literature and science. In her recent work focusing on the cyberpunk genre, Professor Elana Gomel argues that cyberpunk is not a dystopian modality of representation; rather, it is better classified as ‘post-utopian’.

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Andy Ridgway | The Evolution Of Science Journalism

Andy Ridgway | The Evolution Of Science Journalism

Like other animals, humans have unique ways of approaching a potential mate and securing their affections. The goal of these ‘wooing’ processes is generally to establish a long-term romantic relationship with the person of interest. Victor de Munck, a Professor of Anthropology at Vilnius University, recently carried out a fascinating study exploring the most common patterns of courtship observed in the United States today, and the cultural influences underpinning these patterns.

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Professor Magnus S. Magnusson | The surprising similarities between the structures of human cells and societies

Professor Magnus S. Magnusson | The surprising similarities between the structures of human cells and societies

Research by Professor Magnus S. Magnusson at the University of Iceland demonstrates surprising similarities between the organization of cellular protein networks and of human societies. He reveals how the invention of writing and, very recently, general education, transformed human civilization in ways that mirror ancient biological developments and emphasises how this makes humans unique.

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Professor Bernd Schlipphak – Professor Oliver Treib – Dr. Constantin Schäfer | How citizens’ identities shape their support for international organizations

Professor Bernd Schlipphak – Professor Oliver Treib – Dr. Constantin Schäfer | How citizens’ identities shape their support for international organizations

Research by Professors Bernd Schlipphak and Oliver Treib, both of the University of Münster, along with Doctor Constantin Schäfer of ifok GmbH, Germany, reveals how people’s sense of global identity influences their support for international organizations. Their work demonstrates that reforms to international organizations can have opposing effects on different groups of citizens, potentially increasing societal divisions about global cooperation.

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Professor Shanshan Yan | Heritage Language Learners Show Unique Advantages in Chinese Language Processing

Professor Shanshan Yan | Heritage Language Learners Show Unique Advantages in Chinese Language Processing

Learning a new language as an adult is challenging, especially when the new language has features that differ significantly from one’s native tongue. This phenomenon is key to a new study led by Professor Shanshan Yan at Peking University, which examines how language learning is affected when learners encounter features in their second language that are similar to those in their first language.

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Nicolas Teyssandier | Unravelling the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic Transition in Europe

Nicolas Teyssandier | Unravelling the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic Transition in Europe

The transition from the Middle to Upper Paleolithic in Europe marks a pivotal period in human evolution, with the replacement of Neanderthals by anatomically modern humans. A new study by Nicolas Teyssandier, Director of Research at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and vice director of the TRACES laboratory at the Toulouse Jean Jaurès University examines the archaeological evidence for this transition and attempts to reconcile it with recent discoveries, shedding new light on this complex period of cultural and biological change.

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Professor Richard M. Eaton | Rethinking Cultural Exchange in India in the Persianate Age, 1000-1765

Professor Richard M. Eaton | Rethinking Cultural Exchange in India in the Persianate Age, 1000-1765

In his book India in the Persianate Age, historian Professor Richard M. Eaton of the University of Arizona challenges long-held assumptions about India’s history from 1000 to ca. 1800 CE. By examining the complex interactions between Persian and Sanskrit cultural spheres, Eaton offers a fresh perspective on this pivotal period, shedding light on the dynamic processes of cultural exchange and integration that shaped the subcontinent.

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