Systems can surprise us.
Out of neurons comes consciousness. Out of cars, traffic jams. Just as
interesting as these emergent properties, but less discussed, are submergent properties, in which the causal arrow points
down rather than up. The group changes the individual.

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If Oaks and Orchids Could Talk
Lucas Gutierrez wants to turn plant frequencies into a language humans can understand -
Celebrating the Relationship Between Science and Illustration
A conversation with Society of Illustrators executive director Arabelle Liepold -
The Extraordinary, Imperiled Science at the End of the Earth
Firing experts in Antarctica couldn’t come at a worse time -
Breaking a Cycle of Apocalypse
John Larison’s new novel The Ancients suggests some societies are built for cataclysm -
An Earthy Fallen Star
The strange mushroom that puffs life into forests around the world.