AI Is the New Book Burning
Humanity at stake in Anthropic’s mass book destruction, remembering gallerist Francisco Correa Cordero, pickleball murals in Pittsburgh, and more.
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Towards an AI for Africa
Western-developed AI rides roughshod over Ubuntu values of connection and community that animate African ethical life - by Fainos Mangena Read on Aeon
Preference falsification
People lie. They lie in focus groups, they lie on surveys and they lie to themselves. Culture can be seen as an organized lying function. Be aware of what other people are thinking and make choices about your preferences so you can fit in. Without this effect, we wouldn’t have
Hear the Earliest Known Piece of Polyphonic Music: This Composition, Dating Back to 900 AD, Changed Western Music
Like digging for fossils or panning for gold, the research process can be a tedious affair. But for any researcher, long days of searching and reading will eventually result in discovery. These are the moments scholars cherish. It’s the chance discovery, however rare, that
Lubov Gallery Founder Francisco Correa Cordero Dies at 37
In the decade since starting his New York gallery, he mounted exhibitions of artists including Mira Dayal, Shannon Cartier Lucy, Parker Ito, Bryce Kroll, and Xingzi Gu.
Every Sample from Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys
This video catalogs every borrowed sample from Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys, from the soundtrack to Car Wash to the Sugarhill Gang to the Eagles to the Ramones to the Beatles. They play the original first and then what they did with it on the album. Somehow this video
Eric Carle Museum Workers Push for Union Vote
Employees at the Massachusetts museum established by the children’s book artist behind “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” cited poor working conditions and under-staffing in a statement.
Sharmistha Ray Transforms Pickleball Courts Into Stunning Artworks
The artist's fully playable installation "Geometry of Play" spreads over three courts in downtown Pittsburgh.
“Long live Hyrule jazz!” The Z Suites is “a...
“Long live Hyrule jazz!” The Z Suites is “a modern jazz reinterpretation of the music from The Legend of Zelda”.
Michigan Arts School Alumni Allege Abuse by Jeffrey Epstein
The previously unreported claims are part of an investigation into a history of sexual misconduct and assault at Interlochen Center for the Arts.
How Rogue Officers Turned a Nationwide Camera Network into a Tool for Stalking
"Flock’s array of license-plate cameras was built to fight crime. But at least 50 law enforcement officers were charged with or accused of misusing it and other systems."
How Podcasts Ruined America . This is an odd claim and...
How Podcasts Ruined America . This is an odd claim and article. No mention of the clear precursors to right-wing podcasts (talk radio, blogs, Twitter) and the general shift towards less accountability for public speech, esp. by conservatives. 🤔
Pilcrow, Dagger, and Octothorp, Oh My!
So, I don’t know what kind of nerd you are, but my brand of nerdiness dovetails neatly with this video about the origins of some of the most common symbols on your keyboard: #, @, &, §, *, ¶, †, and ‡, as well as ☞. The “and” symbol or ampersand does not look like a word, but
Monumental Joyful Murals by Ella & Pitr Fill Urban Rooftops and Fields
Ella & Pitr bring eccentric joy to urban spaces. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Monumental Joyful Murals by Ella & Pitr Fill Urban Rooftops and
Ellen Pau’s Elegy to a Vanishing Hong Kong
In the video art pioneer's first US exhibition, water’s changing states become a metaphor for the city.
AI Companies Are Pulping Our Humanity
The recent revelation about Anthropic’s systematic digitization and destruction of out-of-print books portends a rapacious future, one where soulless LLMs swell while the shelves starve.
What Climate Science Can Tell Us About the Lost World...
What Climate Science Can Tell Us About the Lost World That Inspired The Odyssey . “A new climate study suggests that centuries of repeated severe drought added to the pressures on that collapsing world.”
This is fun: BoxSquad . Limbs & borders are all draggable.
This is fun: BoxSquad . Limbs & borders are all draggable.
“A Los Angeles Costco parking lot [has] become a...
“A Los Angeles Costco parking lot [has] become a hotspot for skaters over 40. Its long, low curb lets us keep doing tricks on safer, lower-risk terrain […] Curbs represent the twilight of skateboarding, the end being closer than the beginning .” Lovely.
Inspired by Fauna, Form Meets Function in Hilarious Pieces by Ceramika Matylda
"I like my work to be open to interpretation," Iwaszkiewicz says. "There's a lot of humor in it, a sense of playfulness, and I never take the world too seriously." Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts
How to Live and How to Die
"Leave something of sweetness and substance in the mouth of the world."
Opportunities in August 2026
Residencies, fellowships, grants, and open calls from the Erie Canal Museum, Jentel Artist Residency, Princeton University, and more in our monthly list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers.
Does Christopher Nolan Consider Himself a Bard for a Civilization at Dusk?
This 17-minute interview about the Odyssey with Christopher Nolan conducted by philosophy doctoral student Zhong Shu is one of the better ones I’ve seen. The first two questions are: Do you consider yourself a bard for a civilization at dusk? Have you Christianized The
Watch a Monumental Iceberg in Greenland Do a Somersault
On July 25, a mammoth iceberg literally made waves as it flipped over in Disko Bay off the coast of Ilulissat. Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article
Google Earth stupidly launched an AI image-gen feature...
Google Earth stupidly launched an AI image-gen feature with no guardrails then put it on pause after a huge outcry. “Tonight I typed just one sentence into Google Earth and put refugees near the Mexican border. Then I planted a nuclear plant in Iran.”
The Listening Museum : “36 mechanical keyboards...
The Listening Museum : “36 mechanical keyboards and switches, curated and sound-mapped. From IBM Model M (1985) to Topre to thocky modern customs. Click any card, type on your real keyboard, hear it as if it were on your desk.”