We tend to associate the active persecution of scientific ideas with late medieval times - the cases of Copernicus, Giordano Bruno, and Galileo spring most readily to mind. And so when a comparable case occurs in the present, we are somewhat slow to recognize it. But a hundred years from...

It is said that when sprouting blades of grass are covered by concrete, they can work their way through the tiniest of crevices and ultimately break through to sunshine. By means of the transformative power of education, girls in the most impoverished countries can similarly break through apparently impermeable obstacles...

The rainforests have been called the lungs of the world, and they are home to the greatest diversity of species of any biome. The massive and accelerating destruction of the rainforests for purposes of raising cattle and exploiting mineral resources is an obscene tragedy on a scale beyond description. And...

When a film attempts to portray a series of historical events, the line between art and reality is inevitably blurred. The problem is already apparent in a film like Django Unchained, where there is room for debate regarding the authenticity of the depictions of slavery. The issue is even more...

Django Unchained represents the best and the worst of Quentin Tarantino. The film is replete with his signature mix of clever, inventive dialogue, fresh cinematic techniques, gripping drama, and extreme violence. As entertainment, no doubt the film will succeed with many audiences. But as a work of art -- which...

Life of Pi is a strangely affecting film that employs an adventure story and 3D photography to pose a simple question: Does God exist? This may not sound like a promising premise for a popular movie, but in the hands of director Ang Lee, it succeeds beyond all expectations.

As...

Abraham Lincoln is probably our most distinguished president; two-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis may be our greatest living actor; and Steven Spielberg is certainly our best known and possibly our most gifted living director. The confluence of all three personalities in the motion picture Lincoln represents a singular blend of...

Chasing Ice is a documentary film that captures in unmistakable visual images the increasingly rapid melting of the world's glaciers as a consequence of global warming.

Photographer James Balog established the Extreme Ice Survey in 2007 in order to demonstrate with time-lapse images the retreat and decline of glaciers...

The Brass Teapot is the stunning debut by first-time feature film director Ramaa Mosley. An already distinguished director of music videos, commercials, and short films, Mosley here for the first time stretches her wings and reveals her potential as a director of serious independent films.

The film is a modern...

The story of Snow White as told in 1817 by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm runs a little under 3000 words. The language is as spare and stark as the story itself, which is in its essence a morality tale. Medieval in its origins, dark in its tone and attitude, the...

In his classic novel 1984, George Orwell envisioned a future society in which common sense and basic values are turned upside down. The essence of this vision was contained in a few slogans propagated by the government: "War is Peace" and "Freedom is Slavery" were among the most memorable of...

We are accustomed to think that the aim of education is for each student to accumulate as much knowledge as possible. We argue about what knowledge the student should acquire, and how, and for what purpose, and at what cost, and how to measure the results. But what if there...

Don't get me wrong -- I am a firm believer in science. I fully subscribe to evolutionary theory, and I think climate-change deniers are a menace to mankind. But let's face it -- science is not infallible. And nothing demonstrates the fallibility of science more than its stubborn, persistent refusal...

In order to understand the meaning and significance of President Obama's decision to come out in favor of gay marriage, we have to understand the meaning of marriage for ourselves. How can we possibly evaluate his decision unless we have assessed the whole concept and institution of marriage?

If our...

My friend Marilyn recently adopted a beautiful cat, all white, with deep blue eyes. The cat loves to gaze at herself in the floor-length mirrors on Marilyn's closet doors. What does she see? Is she admiring her own beauty? Or is she fascinated by the sight of what she thinks...