Boris Johnson’s Terrible Parting Gift

In his last days as prime minister of Britain, Boris Johnson conducted a farewell tour of the country. Possibly he expected something like the accolades his beloved Roman generals were given—a small arch in his honor, say—or at least a few angry Gauls walking miserably behind his chariot. Instead he went to a field in southwest England and stared at a hole in the ground. (The Atlantic)

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What If Joan of Arc Wasn’t A Woman?

The non-binary flag overlaid on Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc dared to take on the traditionally masculine role of soldier and commander. In her day, everyone wondered: Was she holy—a saint, a sacred being, a vessel of enlightenment—or merely a woman? Four centuries later, the Globe is asking the same question. (The Atlantic)

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I’m The Driver Now

Thirty-seven, I decided, was old enough. Even here in Britain, that is an advanced age to begin learning to drive, but somehow, I had never gotten around to it. And so I found myself, one morning last fall, trying to master the exact sequence of foot movements required to hit something called “biting point.” (The Atlantic)

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The Spark: Non-Human Intelligence

The cover of Bridle's book

The writer and artist James Bridle has a background in artificial intelligence, but has turned to studying the natural world: everything from slime moulds that can solve complex logistical problems to octopuses that recognise human faces. (The Spark, BBC)

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