"The latest and greatest space telescope has the goal of photographing parts of the universe previously unseen by human beings."
Christmas Launch
"Heavily anticipated and anxiously awaited, the Christmas Day launch of the Webb Telescope went off without a hitch."
Mirror Array
"The Webb Telescope's most striking feature, this set of many gold-plated mirrors reflect the Sun's light and enable us to photograph new corners of the universe."
"Fungi usher the dead into the next world, dissolving the body and returning it to the Earth. Everything that lives is made of everything that has ever died—all of us are entwined together."
The Perfect Slice
"The perfect slice of pizza wouldn't exist without fungi! Yeast to rise the dough and ripen the cheese, and a nice topping of button mushrooms—yum."
Zombie Ants
"An ant infected by the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is like something out of a horror movie. By the time the hapless host dies, it's more fungus than insect."
"The journey to understanding begins with one simple act: asking a question. Then another. Then another."
Open-Mindedness
"As we learn more and think critically, we use our knowledge to reach conclusions and form opinions about the world."
Enlightenment
"For most people, enlightenment is a goal that will never be attained, but that doesn't mean the pursuit is worthless. Cultivating wisdom is a lifelong process."
"When almost all life lives in the sea, a sudden change in ocean temperature or chemistry—oxygen level, acidity, toxins—can easily trigger a mass extinction."
Killer Space Rock
"Earth is a pale-blue dot in a shooting gallery of space rocks. When will the next Big One strike?"
Solar Apocalypse
"Our last universal common ancestor lived a few billion years ago. The solar apocalypse begins in less than a billion years. We're closer to the end than the beginning of life on Earth."
"Sharing is caring--at a foundational level, we must be able to trust our community to deal with us fairly. If we can't trust our neighbors, how can we trust strangers?"
Trust in Institutions
"As populations grow beyond a size that allows for one-to-one trust, governments and banks regulate money. Now we can trade with strangers hundreds of miles away and trust that the money is worth the same."
Trust in Technology
"Technology's advancement has empowered more people to participate directly in economic exchanges. As financial instruments become more accessible, we no longer need to rely on intermediaries to control our money, so long as we can trust in the technology itself."
"Before a hard day's work in the tea fields, reward yourself with a soul-soothing brew crafted from hand-plucked tea leaves."
Tea of Life
"The branches of tea culture extend and flourish across the globe, continuously evolving into ever more diverse traditions, customs, and rituals."
Russell's Teapot
"Similar to philosopher Bertrand Russell's Teapot Analogy, the global spread of tea isn't physically observable. Unlike an orbiting teapot in space, tea's impact is evidenced in a more subtle, but impactful way: through a universal language of hospitality."
"Sound is a simple vibration, forming waves that move back and forth. How might humans wield this energy?"
A Melodic Recipe
"Theory, Innovation, and Instrumentation come together to create what may be the first melody ever composed. This officially marks the beginning of a lifelong relationship between humanity and music."
A Musical Mix
"You can now share music from anywhere in the world to anyone in the world."
"Every nerve in the body connects to the brain, the center of cognitive function."
The Bellows
"Each breath a human takes provides oxygen to the lungs. As blood passes through this organ, it obtains this essential element, now ready to return to the heart."
The Engine
"The heart tirelessly pumps blood throughout the body, providing organs with the oxygen and nutrients needed for humans to live."
"The human body is not defenseless when attacked by disease. A robust system of responses is always at the ready, prepared to fight against outside invaders."
Plague
"Yersinia pestis is carried by fleas and the rats they infect, eventually spreading across the human population."
CRISPR
"Cutting-edge technology advances into the twenty-first century, with techniques such as CRISPR being used to edit the genes of bacteria to remove their resistance to antibiotics."
"Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic. Rocks are formed and changed into others in a loop called the rock cycle."
Crystal
"Minerals often have a crystalline structure. When it extends into three dimensions, it forms a crystal."
Gongshi
"Spirit Stones are rocks selected for their appearance. Some resemble figures or creatures, while others are completely abstract, but all are appreciated for their natural beauty."
"Mythical beasts are used to explain what humans don't understand. Kappas, the Chupacabra, and Bigfoot are just some of the creatures created from the unknown."
