Alan Lightman
When the Heavens Stopped Being Perfect
The advent of the telescope punctured our ideals about the nighttime sky.
My Personal Hero: Alan Lightman on William Gerace
Several years ago, I attended a Buddhist retreat in which I was introduced to the idea of the “retinue,” a constellation of influential and supportive people whom one imagines in an enveloping cloud as one meditates. Mentors. I took the concept one step further and decided to create an actual photo montage that I could […]
Is Life Special Just Because It’s Rare?
Vitalism in the age of modern science.
My Own Personal Nothingness
From a childhood hallucination to the halls of theoretical physics.