A new massive exhibition by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei asks us to reflect: What are the costs of mass production and global trade? A giant raft filled with refugees all made of polyurethane at Factory International at Aviva Studios in Manchester, England, part...
Technology and environmental changes happen so fast, we can’t picture the world five years from now, let alone 50. So how to best prepare for the unknown? A person lays out a map as she packs for travel. (Illustration by News Decoder.) Editor’s note: 15...
Books that are difficult to read win literary prizes. But if you want everyone to read your work, don’t make it longer than it needs to be. Unnecessary words are being cleaned off a counter top. Illustration by News Decoder. Writers love words. But for every...
How we think about the world depends on history we have accepted as true. But that version of the past relies on stories based on partial truths. Two photos: On the left, by Yuganov Konstantin, a family celebrates Independence Day in the United States. On the right,...
So many news stories put people to sleep. To wake readers up, tell them a little story about one person’s experience. A grandfather telling a story to children. (Photo by Blue Cutler/Getty Images Signature) Has this happened to you? A parent or teacher started...