A typical Foldit screen displays a colourful protein structure at the centre with the score at the top ( image source ). Foldit is a citizen science puzzle game that challenges players to solve real-world protein-folding problems, leading to disease research and drug development discoveries. In 2008, the University of Washington Biochemistry and the UW Department of Biochemistry released Foldit, a crowd-sourcing protein-folding puzzle game. Players predict the 3D structures of the proteins, seeking to uncover the most stable and energy-efficient states. Foldit was among the first citizen science games (CSGs) designed for real-world scientific problem-solving, demonstrating that gameplay could facilitate meaningful public participation in research. By the early 2010s, the term Games With a Purpose  (GWAP) was often used to describe such efforts (Miller et al., 2023). The origin Resolving the shape of proteins can lead to drug discoveries and cures for human diseases since the shape of the protein defines its function and how it interacts with other molecules. It all started with Rosetta@home, a protein structure prediction programme created by molecular biologist David Baker. Rosetta's "network is capable of 100 trillion calculations per second, dwarfing most supercomputers" (Bohannon, 2010), c irculating calculations through thousands of volunteer home computers worldwide. Some Rosetta users said they occasionally saw potential solutions but felt frustrated when they could not make any corrections. Baker then approached computer science professors David Salesin and Zoran Popović to conceptualise and create an interactive program, and they turned it into a video game instead (Technology Review, 2008). Rosetta@home interface. Determining protein structures can lead to drug discoveries and cures for human diseases since a protein's shape defines its function and interactions with other molecules. Foldit's origins trace back to Rosetta@home, a protein structure prediction program created by molecular biologist David Baker. Rosetta's network performs 100 trillion calculations per second, surpassing most supercomputers, distributing tasks across thousands of volunteer home computers worldwide (Bohannon, 2010). Some Rosetta users reported seeing potential solutions but felt frustrated that they could not make direct modifications. Recognising this limitation, Baker then approached computer science professors David Salesin and Zoran Popović to develop an interactive solution, and they turned it into a video game instead (Technology Review, 2008). The human vs. machine In 2019, a study compared the performance of Foldit players with Rosetta's automated strategies. The findings revealed that Foldit players significantly outperformed automated approaches. As shown in Fig. 2a, Foldit players (red, blue, and green) explored new regions with significant energy increases, whereas Rosetta's strategies remained limited and systemic. Red circles correspond to snapshots of the trajectory displayed in Fig. 2b. Finally, Fig. 2c illustrates the strategic trajectory of Foldit players; each colour represents different cooperating Foldit players, with the final structure (marked by a star) achieved after 17 branch points (Koepnick et al., 2019). Fig. 2 | Comparison of Foldit player and automated design-sampling strategies (Koepnick et al., 2019). A decade-long problem Scientists hoped that gamers manipulating protein structures might help uncover the enzyme M-PMV Retroviral protease, which is crucial for understanding how HIV multiplies. After scientists and computer programs failed to determine the structure for over a decade, the M-PMV Foldit puzzle was created. In just three weeks, gamers produced a 3D model of the enzyme, accurate enough for molecular replacement (Khatib et al., 2011; Zoran, 2011). This discovery paved the way for developing antiretroviral drugs, including treatments for HIV (Khatib et al., 2011). Winners: Void Crushers Group F. If a protein researcher is struggling with a particular problem, they will create a Foldit puzzle for their problem. — Foldit website. Crystal structure of monomeric M-PMV retroviral protease on Protein Data Bank (PDB) archive where Foldit players are named. Foldit has hundreds of thousands of registered players who contribute to cancer and Alzheimer's research, among other causes. Gameplay has since evolved to allow players to design never-before-seen synthetic proteins, which led David Baker to experiment with protein design. M-PMV retroviral protease Foldit puzzle solution. Foldit Legacy If we can mimic the pinnacle of intuition in Go, then why couldn't we map that across to proteins? —Demis Hassabis, co-founder of DeepMind (Heaven, 2022). AlphaGodefeated Lee Sedo, the Go world champion. Simultaneously, Demis Hassabis, co-founder of DeepMind, started experimenting with game systems and AI. After experimenting with an automated game system for old arcade classics, he took on a more complex game system and created AlphaGo, which plays the ancient strategy board game Go. AlphaGo eventually defeated the Go (board game) world champion, Lee Sedol. Seeking a new challenge, Hassabis looked at Foldit's success, which led him to "think that AI could maybe try to mimic that intuitive capability that those gamers were demonstrating" (BBC, 2020). Hassabis and scientist John M. Jumper started testing with protein folding, and in 2020, DeepMind released AlphaFold2. The programme's success led experts to claim that the half-century protein folding problem has been broadly solved. In 2024, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker for computational protein design and Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper for protein structure prediction. 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. References Koepnick, B., Flatten, J., Husain, T. et al . (2019). De novo protein design by citizen scientists. Nature, 575, 184–188. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1274-4 Khatib, F., DiMaio, F., Foldit Contenders Group, et al. (2011). Crystal structure of a monomeric retroviral protease solved by protein folding game players. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 18 (10), 1175–1177. https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb.2119 Bohannon, J. (2010, August 4). Video game helps solve protein structures . Science. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://www.science.org/content/article/video-game-helps-solve-protein-structures Miller, J. A., Vepřek, L. H., Deterding, S., & Cooper, S. (2023). Practical recommendations from a multi-perspective needs and challenges assessment of citizen science games. PLoS ONE, 18(5), e0285367. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285367 Cooper, S., Khatib, F., Treuille, A., et al. (2010). Predicting protein structures with a multiplayer online game. Nature, 466, 756–760. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09304 Zoran, A. (2011). Crystal structure of a monomeric retroviral protease solved by protein folding game players. https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~zoran/NSMBfoldit-2011.pdf Heaven, W. D. (2022, February 23). This is the reason Demis Hassabis started DeepMind. MIT Technology Review. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/02/23/1045016/ai-deepmind-demis-hassabis-alphafold Saplakoglu, Y. (2024, June 26). How AI revolutionized protein science—but didn't end it . Quanta Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-ai-revolutionized-protein-science-but-didnt-end-it-20240626/ BBC News. (2020, December 2). DeepMind co-founder: Gaming inspired AI breakthrough. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-55157940 Fold.it . (n.d.). Science. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://fold.it/science Rosetta@home. (n.d.). What is Rosetta@home? Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/rah/rah_about.php Tiz Creel  of Living Things Studio ©2025 Thank you for reading 🫀 Keep it playful.

Quipus expand our understanding of what writing can be — multidimensional. A quipucamayoc in El primer nueva corónica. On the lower left is a yupana — an Inca calculating device. T he quipu code is a language system using knotted strings, which was used by ancient cultures of the Andean region of South America, notably the Inca Empire. Considered a form of writing, it communicates complex and meaningful information through a symbolic system. Unlike alphabetic or logographic writing, it relies not on visual symbols but on tactile and spatial ones. The quipu code was used for various purposes, such as accounting, taxation, census, calendrical, and military organisation. It was also a way of preserving historical, mythological, and religious narratives and planning future events. Over time, the quipus evolved to serve artistic and literary purposes. Quipu of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian Unfortunately, over time, knowledge of how to interpret quipus was lost. However, a Spanish census record was found to match the six quipus. This discovery was significant for deciphering ancient records. The quipu has a central cord from which hangs several pendant cords of different colours, lengths, and knots. The position, direction, and type of the cords’ knots, colour, and material encode numerical and categorical data in a base-ten positional system. Khipu with a numerical representation Source: Retrieved from “ The Khipu-Based Numeration System “ , S. Pilgaonkar, 2015. According to Sabine Hyland, an anthropologist, some quipus have a logosyllabic system, where the knots and the fibres vary according to the sounds that make up words. The khipu writing system was three-dimensional, which made touch as important as sight. Each knot, twist, and colour had a meaning. Some could reveal who owed what to whom, others could tell stories of the past and present. Quipus expands our understanding of what writing can be. Deep Dive: Quipu | SpringerLink  | A comprehensive overview of the quipu code’s history, structure, and functions. It is written by Marcia Ascher and Robert Ascher, two experts who have studied and described hundreds of quipus. Quipu — Latin American Studies — Oxford Bibliographies  | Annotated bibliography entry that lists and evaluates some of the most important sources on the quipu code, including books, articles, and websites. It is written by Gary Urton, a professor of anthropology and a leading authority on the quipu code. Code of the Quipu cornell.edu  | detailed descriptions of over 200 quipus, as well as references to other quipu descriptions and the locations of extant quipu specimens. It is maintained by Marcia Ascher and Robert Ascher, the authors of the book Code of the Quipu: A Study in Media, Mathematics, and Culture. The Khipu Database Project  — Professor Gary Urton initiated the Khipu Database Project, which aimed to collect and analyse a large number of Khipus. Over 900 Khipus were gathered for detailed examination and study. The College Student Who Decoded the Data Hidden in Inca Knots : Tells the story of Manuel Medrano, a Harvard student who deciphered a set of quipus by matching them to a Spanish census document. — Tiz Creel (Founder of Living Things Studio  ©2023) Keep it curious.

An informal investigation of what it means to be an artist today. Throughout the years of navigating the art world, we encountered some oddities of the trade, some non-written rules, many questions and very few answers. Because of this, I started researching art and the art world in hopes of understanding the underlying meaning of art and its role in the world. The Public Arts Enquiry  is an experiment to capture the sentiment & underlying meaning of art and its playground called the art world. The chatbolt is not seeking truths but thoughts, perspectives and desires. Some questions may seem subjective and ambiguous; it’s by design. The results  have reached contributions form 263 people around the world, primarily based in the UK, Europe, the United States, Mexico and India. 50.6% of participants identify themselves as an artist, 18.6% as cultural workers, and 30.6% as members of the general public. The study reveals polar opposite opinions on art, revealing a deep confusion in our understanding. We are still capturing entries that are not reflected in the draft of the current results. I want art in the future to be.. Parallel to the enquiry, Art Conundrum   is a study that invites you to rethink your assumptions about art and its role in society, the narratives we validate daily, how we relate to each other as a community, and our role in the cultural wars. Social, political and economic approaches need the context of culture to validate their role and purpose; culture is the creation of the future. See all results here : Magic Circle was supported by ACME , and University College London  supported the creation of the study, which was later presented in Mind the Gap : Designing Residencies for Everyone – London Conference 2023. Tiz Creel  ©2023 - artist & maker Thank you for reading 🫀

From the starving artists to the lone genius, we will explore some oddities, dilemmas, social rules and questions in this strange field. This text will invite you to rethink your assumptions about art and its role in society, the narratives we validate daily, and how we relate to each other as a community SECTIONS Abandoned Youth   - the systemic exclusion of young artists and the myth of posthumous fame. Predicting the Unpredictable  - can art’s next big thing be predicted? A network of institutions and galleries defines the value of art. Art is Trust -  values underpinning the art sector and the role of social norms in determining art’s value. Art Life  - between low-pay art jobs, the risk of youth poverty, and the need for more opportunities for artists. Cultural Wars   - narratives shape our understanding and value of art. Wishful Thinking -  the role of art in creating behavioural change and shaping the future. Abandoned Youth The systemic exclusion of young artists and the myth of posthumous fame. We don't celebrate young artists, either by coincidence or design. Some might say that experience creates masterpieces; others say it is a method of systemic exclusion. David Hockney | Harry Styles | May 31st 2022 David Hockney | Photo Credit: Jonathan Wilkinson Jonathan Wilkinson. This observation led me to explore the old myth of posthumous, where artists get famous once they are dead. Maybe that is what art was meant to be: hindsight, that moment of clarity long after the storm. Chances are that the evolution of art is already here, but you cannot identify it because if you could see it now, it wouldn't be. David Hockney painting Harry Styles in his studio in Normandy | June 2022| Photo Credit: Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima. Perhaps artists are not meant to become famous because no one allows freedom, which is only possible by touching the outskirts of social walls that define how we think and behave. To go beyond what is presented and find inspiration outside the social baggage that conditions which we are. How can you support artists without them having to become famous? Artists starting during the first ten years need more investment, not less. Predicting the Unpredictable Can art’s next big thing be predicted? A network of institutions and galleries defines the value of art. Fig. 1 Co-exhibition network | Quantifying reputation and success in art | Science I am going back to basics. Art can't be defined or outlined. It has no direction, no logical, socio-psychological, or mystical explanation of what makes it art. That is what makes it so magical. I always thought art was very different from other performance measures. Well, Network physicist Albert-László Barabási claims he can predict artists' success without looking at their work. Art performance is measured based on who painted it, who owned it, who commissioned it, and who wants it. Art is, at its heart, a reputation economy. The survival curves reveal that 52% of the artists had only one recorded show. Moreover, for those who have more than one exhibition, according to the data, ten years after their five exhibits, 86% of artists with low initial reputations stopped having exhibitions. Fig. D Survival Rate| Quantifying reputation and success in art | Science The study Quantifying reputation and success in art identifies that the value of an artwork is defined by a series of connected institutions and galleries that lead to the centre of the network. He concludes that art is ruled by a handful of industry leaders (central nodes). If you can or cannot get there, it is defined by who would work with you in your first five exhibits. The predictions were incredibly accurate. Deep Dive the study: Quantifying Reputation and Success in Art Reputation Test The reputation test devised by Barabási consisted of simulating the artist's career using only their first five exhibits as input to decide where they would exhibit next (prestige level). The model accurately captured the lock-in effect observed in real careers. The study found that institutional prestige is highly subjective and decided by factors like history, leadership, resources, and geographic location. Co-exhibition network The study identified 122 central communities. The network core was a dense community of major European and North American institutions with a shared artistic talent pool. However, dense regional communities of institutions in Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia — were relatively isolated from the core and shared artists mainly among themselves. The best art is the most expensive because the market is so smart — Tobias Meyer , Sotheby's former Worldwide Head of Contemporary Art. Peer Network of 90 Early 20th-Century Abstract Artists | Fame as Illusion of Creativity Banerjee Ingram | Indiana.edu Likewise, in 2012, an exhibition at MoMA showed how over 80 artists invented abstraction between 1910 and 1925. The exhibition opened with a diagram  of the artists' network to show who knew each other. Two business professors used MoMA's data to analyse patterns of creativity; however, the data concluded that there was no correlation between creativity and fame for these artists. There was, however, a strong correlation between having a large and diverse network of contacts and being famous ( Fame as Illusion of Creativity ). It is because, In areas of human activity where performance is complex to quantify objectively, reputation and networks of influence have a central role in defining access to resources and rewards. Between Vanessa Bell and Suzanne Duchamp The study Fame as Illusion of Creativity compares the trajectory of Vanessa Bell and Suzanne Duchamp. Both artists had similar backgrounds and creativity scores but different levels of fame. Bell's contacts included influential artists, collectors, patrons, and theatre producers from various countries and groups. Is it really about a cult of power and the powerful? Figure 2: Two Early 20th -Century Abstract Artists Suzanne Duchamp and Vanessa Bell, their art work and biographical details | Indiana.edu Art is Trust Values underpinning the art sector and the role of social norms in determining art’s value. When I use a word, Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less. The question is, said Alice, whether you can make words mean so many different things. The question is, said Humpty Dumpty, which is to be master — that's all. He talks about it just as if it was a game! - thought Alice. — Lewis Carroll (Through the Looking Glass). Even though art has always been considered a subjective experience in a particular place and time, art history is taught as a tale of extraordinary human achievement. Art is transformative, revolutionary, and sublime. The reason sophisticated, experienced, and legally represented institutes are willing to pay millions for something that the law does not recognise because of the social norms of the art world. For us, art is the act of belief; for the rest of the world, it is a matter of trust. Art has unclear definitions, leaders, structures, goals/objectives, communities, and foundations. What I thought to be the virtue of art was setting the scene for something much darker. Like anything else, arts is tied to the free market; value is a measure of confidence and privilege—a world where money is behind nearly every decision made. Looking closely at the foundations of the art sector, we identify values like competition, gatekeeping, social exclusion, the cult of the genius and the exploitation of the genius persona. Why are private views not private? You might say it's just a word, but all words have a context and meanings. The words we choose to define art are a significant window to our identity as an arts community. William Powell Frith's painting represents the private view of the RA summer exhibition. the exhibition was open to the public for a fee. Before the public opening, guests like royal family members, aristocrats, patrons, critics, and artists had a special preview. Private views might be private now, but the idea of exclusivity remains. If we don't understand our past, we can't understand our present. This is true for art as it is for our own lives. Artist Salvatore Garau sold an invisible sculpture for £12,959 at an auction. A Private View at the Royal Academy, 1881 by William Powell Frith  Where is Wilde? Find the following people in   A Private View at the Royal Academy, 1881  by  William Powell Frith  (1883) painting: Oscar Wilde Ellen Terry PM William Gladstone Thomas Huxley Frederic Lord Leighton The Trust Spectrum – Raph's Website The funds are set to create a competitive environment, setting up measures and markers for success that do not correlate with the art itself whilst validating them over and over again. The funding system places institutions in a constant position of precarity and survival despite the visual arts contributing £49 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy in 2022. £35 billion more than the combined automotive, life sciences, aerospace, and oil and gas industries ( McKinsey & Company ). Figure 6 shows the network of NPOs with indirect ties — where two NPOs share a board member.Figure 6 shows the network of NPOs with indirect ties — where two NPOs share a board member. Money is not allocated according to the needs of artists and creators but to preserve established institutions. Artists represent only 3% of salaried employees in publicly funded arts organisations ( The Big Freelancer report ). The more organisations restructure themselves to rely on fundraising and sponsorship, the more vulnerable they become. In a study titled  Who Runs the Arts in England? a social network analysis of arts boards  showed how board members connect with funded organisations. The study argues that cultural organisations have become more market-driven and are losing autonomy due to policy demands and curatorial and programming priorities, even at the NPO level. This elite dominance contrasts cultural policy's efforts to democratise the arts ( ACE, 2010 ,  2020 ). Art Life Between low-pay art jobs, the risk of youth poverty, and the need for more opportunities for artists. They say the trick is to find work that doesn't exhaust the body or fill the head to have something left to create. Slowly but surely cementing the legacy of the myth of starving artists  - which is, for the detriment of our community, not a myth. Richard Serra was a removal man, Susan Hiller was a receptionist at a Skoda factory, and Ed Kienholz sold vacuum cleaners. Besides paying jobs, artists need to keep up with the fast-moving world. To be an artist is to be a facilitator, salesman, marketing and community manager, P&R agent, academic writer, and magic maker. At-Risk-of-Poverty Rate | Inequality and Poverty across Generations in the European Union, 2018. Is what you can get away with — Andy Warhol The risk of youth poverty is on the rise in Europe. The younger generation is unable to build wealth like their parents and grandparents. Low-paid work done by young men increased by 45% between 1993 and 2015. The crisis is leading younger generations to social exclusion. People cannot afford to participate in society. The world was different for Richard, Susan and Ed. Inexpensive things carry hidden costs, frequently borne by exploited, underpaid worker. Royal Academy of Arts —Summer Exhibition Website However, there are more opportunities for artists than ever. The RA Summer Exhibition is one of the oldest exhibitions in England, and it's still running. Unlike the William Powell Firth painting, the exhibition is now free entry, funded by the artist with over 660,000 pounds for administrative costs despite being funded by Insight Investment. It is evermore challenging to ignore that art is not a real career, as my grandfather would note. Art is a hobby; why don't you do something else like graphic design? — Tiz Creel grandfather Structurally F–cked — a-n The Artists Information Company The report titled Structurally F–cked , included a survey conducted by Industria with testimonies from artists who shared their experiences of injustice, discrimination, and frustration in the UK. The survey revealed a median hourly rate of £2.60 an hour, dramatically below the UK minimum wage of £9.50. Either institutions like the British Council and the Arts Council England have reviewed, approved, and funded projects that violate the UK's labour laws, or the benefits and protections of being a citizen do not apply to artists. Like my grandfather, the government doesn't see artists as true workers with real jobs. A survey was published in The Sunday Times about essential vs non-essential jobs Essential, or not? – Sunday Times, Sunday, June 14 2020. Never invest in a business that you do not understand — Warren Buffett, Financial Bull. Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha | University of Nebraska–Lincoln Nobody would argue against the idea that art has social value. Yet, almost nobody will agree that society must protect art and acknowledge and compensate the labour of the people who produce it. Art education does not help. It hides artists inside their studios, and the curriculum prevents them from working outside art world institutions. They are designed to fail. We are all participating in a system in which we are not fully valued (or, in Buffett's terms, understood). What other options do we have? Follow Duchamp's advice and go underground. Cultural Wars How do narratives shape our understanding and value of art. As we examine the narratives more deeply, we begin to get a complete picture. Stories like art is not a real job  or starving artists  are ideas that are now deeply embedded in the way we think, behave, and relate to each other, progressively shaping our reality. By doing what we do daily, we validate and give life to those narratives. Stories, images, music, and games form our values before they become political issues. Social, political, and economic approaches need the context of culture to reexamine their role and purpose. Culture is nothing less than the creation of the future. Politics is downstream from culture — Andrew Breitbart Online Cultural Wars, 2018-2019 | disnovation.org Today, culture is dominated by commercial interests, mass control, and misinformation. In these times when people desperately need perspective, art seems ever more disconnected from the general public. When healthy, art offers a window to our most profound truths, which have continued to awe us for hundreds of years. Art will live as long as humans do, but the cultural context is gone. Today, culture is somewhere else. As the lines blur the distinction between culture and advertising, where is art? Where do we, as a community, stand? Some might say that art has never been made for regular audiences and that not everybody can appreciate art. But, in a world that is evermore divided, where the survival of our species is in question, we need art & culture more than ever. Political scientist Francis Fukuyama declared, "We've arrived at the end of history." British PM Margaret Thatcher once said, "There is no alternative." Where is the utopian future? The death of alternative means that all viable systematic alternatives have been exhausted, that we've hit the end of the line regarding economic models, and that politics can now be about making things look better. All existence is evaluated in terms of money, presented to us as ideal because everything else has failed or could be worse. The death of alternatives is closing down any possibility of collective dreaming. They express the polarity inherent in every self-regulating system. They can never be solved, but only outgrown — Carl Jung. The crisis is the moment at which the truth reveals itself, and this is when we should challenge it the most. Today's predominant ideology is not a positive vision of some utopian future but a cynical vision of resignation and acceptance. The roles of creativity and culture as developmental tools have not been removed, limited, or denied. Hegel and Danto declared the death of art; Art as a practice will continue but has no more ways of progressing. This means that art has reached a point where it no longer has a distinctive purpose or direction and where anything can be considered art. As a result, art is becoming more isolated and self-centred, losing its distinctive role in human culture. In the art world, there aren't any standards or values; they've all been dismantled (rightly so). However, there are no discussions about the meaning and purpose of art in today's context. Art means something different for each person. Calls for regulation of the art market rarely come from within the art, and despite the conundrum, everyone seems to be comfortable with how things are. No one challenges the structure and content in any meaningful way. It is wild to think that no whistleblowers or scandals exist in an industry with so much obscurity. The art world is ruthless, just like the very core of human nature. Art is a handshake business, and if someone treats you poorly, don't deal with them again, but don't go public with your gripes: it's bad form, and will result in bad karma — Adam Lindemann . When Darwin wrote about evolution, he wasn't doing it in a vacuum; he was influenced by the writings of economist Thomas Malthus. Darwin saw the features of a capitalist economy in the theory of evolution. Darwin showed that in organisms, the logic of natural selection ensures that the better-adapted types slowly but surely displace the less well-adapted. He coined the term "the economy of nature", which describes the struggle for existence among living organisms. Even though Darwin did mention mutual support as a feature of evolution, he emphasised the role of competition and scarcity in shaping human society. Somehow, Darwin needed the survival of the fittest to justify evolution. Toothless cranium and mandible of an old adult | Hominins | Dmanisi.ge Those who tell the story rule the society — Plato The skull is a Homo erectus from Georgia who lived about 1.8 million years ago. He had lost all his teeth except for one and had a severe jaw infection. He survived for several years after losing his teeth; someone or a community was helping him survive. Almost 1.8m years ago, someone practised compassion and care before our species began. Mutual support and selflessness have been observed wildly in nature; we have found social structures and societies in nature. We can't deny there is an immense amount of violence and extermination, but there is at the same time as much mutual support and selflessness. Sociability is as much a law of nature as mutual struggle. Divergent problems cannot be killed...They can, however, be transcended — Schumacher, 1995. Wishful Thinking Role of art in creating behavioural change and shaping the future. Prince Lev Nikolyaevich Myshkin, the protagonist of Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot. Art has meant different things in different times and contexts. When contemplating artworks, just like listening to music or reading, we discover an interest in the world. Culture, in the original meaning (to cultivate), is how we might nurture our lives. "I believe the world will be saved by beauty." — Prince Lev Nikolyaevich Myshkin, the protagonist of The Idiot. Culture is at the centre of finding solutions to change society and its development; culture is a collective endeavour for personal and for humanity's enrichment, culture being nothing less than the creation of the future. To change the culture and the systems, choose the story that is a foundation for the future. Art has a role to play in creating behavioural change because artists are supposed to be the people who have that kind of freedom to play with infinite possibilities. We need to build trust within our community and with the general public. Because there might be no function of art, but there are consequences. The future will be created with or without us. Something might tell us that some kind of end of art has indeed occurred, but that can only mean some new narrative could now be structured. The future belongs to those who can see it. Radical ideas can and do penetrate the system, but this usually occurs despite policies or institutional support. We can assert some control over what art is and what it can do, and maybe others might be inspired by our example. I want to prove to myself how necessary art is to our daily lives, culture, and communities. Art should be seen and felt by everyone. The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes  —  Marcel Proust. Tiz Creel  ©2023 - artist & maker living in London Thank you for reading 🫀 Read more about the text: Public arts enquiry

In larps (live-action role-play), players embody characters and navigate fictional scenarios, sometimes grappling with ethical dilemmas, challenging interpersonal dynamics, and facing uncomfortable situations that mirror real-life complexities. As a relatively new playform, larp has evolved into an intricate culture of care, collaboration, and trust. Written and unwritten norms make larp accessible, creating a safe space for players to take risks and explore different aspects of themselves or others. Nothing stops a s poilsport   (Huizinga, 1949) from abusing or breaking the rules. Like most social contracts, they are self-enforced and depend on the community to maintain them. Foul play   reveals the relativity and fragility of the play, simultaneously revealing the strength and resilience of the collective make-believe. Photos by Jost L. Hansen © Larp culture is led by written and unwritten norms shaping accessibility and safety, creating spaces where players can take risks and explore different aspects of themselves or others. Like most social contracts, the norms are self-enforced. However, spoilsports  (Huizinga, 1949)—those who disregard or abuse these agreements—can expose the fragile nature of play itself. Such breaches also reveal the resilience of collective make-believe, reinforcing the community's ability to adapt and preserve the shared experience. Social affordances that serve the culture become the culture. Social affordances are what shape the larp culture. These affordances—rules, mechanics, spatial design, and player interactions—structure the experience, influencing how narratives unfold. Particularly when engaging with themes that can be harmful, triggering or controversial, safety measurements become even more critical before, during, and after the larp. Establishing the players' understanding of the culture is even more crucial when dealing with problematic concepts or situations. Calibration  helps players internalise the larp's culture and norms while balancing their perceptions, expectations, and personal boundaries in run-of-play (Nielsen, 2014). Calibration is a way to establish the player's alibi and create play opportunities. People seek to larp for different reasons; unlike most popular platforms, the purpose of larp is rarely to win. Personal goals are not at the expense of others but in unison with others. Players might decide to consciously or unconsciously help others by taking the focus away from themselves and placing their character or story ( playing to lift ) , or payers can embrace failure as an avenue for richer or more dramatic narratives or to give others the chance of glory ( playing to lose ) (Losilla, 2024) (Vejdemo, S., 2018). The player can also consciously adjust or change their situation or actions by steering . Here is a curated selection of Markus Montola et al. (2015) extensive list of possible reasons a player might steer during a larp, in their own words: Physical needs.  Food, sleep, warmth, etc. Physical safety.  Not running in the pitch-black forest even when your pursuers do. Coherence.  Preserving the external coherence, even at the expense of your internal coherence. Game mastering and fateplay.  Pushing the game in some direction is required by the larp design. Theme.  Accepting that vampires are real in two minutes. Boredom.  Looking for stuff to do. Picking up fights. Relevance.  Getting closer to the perceived core of the larp or seeking more agency. Staying in larp.  Not leaving the haunted mansion even when two people are dead. Shame.  Not wanting to do or to be seen doing certain things, even as a character. Overcoming disabling design . Deciding that your character wants to become a revolutionary only after you realise that most characters only talk to revolutionaries. Inclusiveness.  Including characters who have nothing to do at that moment. One of the most fascinating larp techniques is also the least talked about. Particularly in the Nordic Larp culture, it is common to encounter a particular quiet signal  —a non-verbal method of communication that enables large groups to quickly organise themselves in chaotic settings, demonstrating how larp culture relies on trust and shared awareness. I call it the silent wave silence :  that moment when, in a chaotic space of hundreds of people, a person raises their hand, and in a matter of 5-10 seconds, in complete silence, everyone else raises a hand, too. This is how it works: At some point, anyone may raise their hand. If you see someone with their arm up, you and everyone else immediately will raise their hand, too, focusing on the silent wave  starter— even if you are in the middle of a conversation. As philosopher Jean Baudrillard (1994) suggests, "all of human culture is the result of the collective sharing in/of simulacra",  implying that reality itself emerges from negotiated simulations rather than objective truths. Larp invites players to actively engage with intimate enactments of different realities, an evolving act that reshapes our perception of ourselves and others. What if, instead of fiction being a mere reflection of reality, reality itself is a product of our collective fiction? When we larp, we discover the agency to do extraordinary things—not just in shaping stories but in shaping each other's experiences. Other players are there to lift us in the same way we will do for them. Larps and larpers might not always be even or just, but more often than not, if there is care, there is trust. Larp culture reflects complexities, vulnerabilities, and strengths inherent in human interactions. When we embrace roles outside our daily reality, players navigate nuanced social explorations, discovering a deeper understanding of ourselves and others. As we step into another's shoes (literally or figuratively), we practice understanding different perspectives. Ultimately, larp is more than play; it is a profound exploration of human behaviour, continually reshaped through shared experiences. References Aabel, M. L., Strand, G. S. B., & Aardal, K. (2013, October). Linda's birthday party . Larp Factory Book Project. Retrieved from http://larpfactorybookproject.blogspot.com/2013/10/lindas-birthday-party.html Groth, A. E., Grasmo, H., & Edland, T. K. (2021). Just A Little Lovin': The Larp Script . Volvemàl Grasmo. Huizinga, J. (1949). Homo ludens: A study of the play-element in culture  (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.). Routledge & Kegan Paul. (Original work published 1938) Montola, M., Stenros, J., & Saitta, E. (2015). The art of steering: Bringing the player and the character back together. In C. B. Nielsen & C. Raasted (Eds.), The Knudepunkt 2015 Companion Book . Rollespilsakademiet Nielsen, M. (2014, April 23). Culture calibration in pre-larp workshops . Nordic Larp. https://nordiclarp.org/2014/04/23/culture-calibration-in-pre-larp-workshops/ Losilla, S. (2024, June 11). Rules, trust, and care: The Nordic larper’s risk management toolkit . Nordic Larp. https://nordiclarp.org/2024/06/11/rules-trust-and-care-the-nordic-larpers-risk-management-toolkit/ Vejdemo, S. (2018, February 21). Play to lift, not just to lose . Nordic Larp. https://nordiclarp.org/2018/02/21/play-lift-not-just-lose/ Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simulacra and simulation  (S. F. Glaser, Trans.). University of Michigan Press. (Original work published 1981) Nordic Larp. (2019, September 3). Larp design glossary . Retrieved from https://nordiclarp.org/2019/09/03/larp-design-glossary/ Tiz Creel  of Living Things Studio ©2025 Thank you for reading 🫀 Keep it playful.

The science of dolls, investigating the impact of doll play on social and emotional development. Every known culture has provided its children with miniature versions of human beings. Dolls, as playthings and symbolic objects, have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs and the local shopping centre near you. Playing with dolls has historically been associated with role-playing caregiving and nurturing behaviors (Hall, 1897). Yet, dolls enable far more than parental roles. Children can use dolls to act out scenarios such as travelling the world, caring for the sick, and throwing a tea party; while playing with dolls, children practice different behaviours and emotions in various situations. Paddle Doll (Middle Kingdom, ca. 2030–1802 B.C.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. These dolls were likely used percussion instruments during religious ceremonies to appease a god or goddess ( Image source ) Barbie Deluxe Style Doll #1 in glossy pink Barbiecore  dress with velvet gloves and pink hair. Designed for kids aged 4+ and collectors alike! ( Image source ) Doll play and the theory of mind Playing with dolls prompts children to engage in internal state language (ISL) —verbal expressions and representations of thoughts, emotions, and mental states. This verbalisation develops children's ability to imagine others' thoughts, feelings, and intentions. Studies have shown that doll play can help with emotional processing, regulation, and social understanding (Hashmi et al., 2021, 2022; Gerson et al., 2024). A 2022 study found that doll play may be particularly effective in social development by encouraging real and imagined social interactions. Frequent ISL about others was associated with stronger activation of the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS)—a brain region associated with social cognition and social understanding. Doll play can mentally simulate interactions, reinforcing children's capacity for empathy and perspective-taking. The proportion of children using ISL compared to others in each condition (Hashmi et al., 2022). Mean proportion of segments children talked in each condition. Even though the tablet games had characters and open-ended play, they did not elicit the same level of social reflection as dolls (Hashmi et al., 2022) Estimated marginal means of oxygenated activity over the pSTS region during play during segments with no internal state language about others relative to segments with internal state language about others (Hashmi et al., 2022). The proportion of girls and boys using ISL about others during the different types of play (Hashmi et al., 2022). Across conditions, children's talkativeness increased with age. Different conditions are represented by different coloured markers, but the linear trend is collapsed across conditions. The research further revealed that while both digital games and doll play encouraged storytelling, only doll play consistently elicited high levels of ISL. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) scans confirmed that doll play uniquely activated the pSTS region, reinforcing its role in social cognition and understanding. Interestingly, while children's talkativeness increased with age, the use of ISL—and its associated brain activation—remained consistent across the 4–8 age range. Notably, girls used significantly more ISL about others during doll play than tablet play, while boys showed no such difference. The study concluded that social brain activity is connected to engagement with others' internal states (Hashmi et al., 2022). Neuroscientist Dr Sarah Gerson argued that "when children create imaginary worlds, and role plays with dolls, they communicate at first out loud and then internalise the message about others' thoughts, emotions and feelings" (Tucker, 2022). Playing with dolls encourages children to talk more about others' thoughts and emotions and use language related to the feelings and thoughts of others. In a recent study, Gerson et al. suggest that children who engaged in doll play showed significant improvements in the theory of mind—the ability to understand others' thoughts and feelings as distinct from one's own —compared to those who played digital games (2024). Figure 2. Relation between improvement in false belief and peer problem scores for each condition. Figure 1. Improvement in bias (in pixels) between doll and tablet intervention groups. Figure 1 shows the difference in children's performance on false belief and memory tasks after engaging in doll or tablet play. Figure 2 examines how children's peer problem scores (social difficulties defined by parents) influenced their improvement in false belief understanding. The study found that doll play may be particularly beneficial for children who struggle with social interactions, providing opportunities to practice understanding others' perspectives. Lastly, Figure 3 is a visual example of a false belief and memory trial of the Sandbox task, which was the key measurement used for false belief and memory. The first image shows the initial location (A) of an object, the second image shows the new location (B) after movement, and the third image represents the child's response. Figure 3. Examples of a false belief and memory trials of the Sandbox task. Doll Therapy  The therapeutic power of dolls is rooted in psychological theories of attachment and comfort objects. John Bowlby's attachment theory  (1969) remarks that humans seek comfort through attachment bonds, which remains relevant even in old age and cognitive decline. Similarly, Donald Winnicott's transitional object  theory (1953) highlights how tangible objects, like dolls, provide emotional stability during stress. Building on these foundations, Bère Miesen (1993) applied attachment theory to dementia care, recognising that many behavioural symptoms in dementia stem from unmet emotional needs. Fulfilling a person's innate attachment needs – even through inanimate objects – can improve emotional well-being, especially for those with cognitive impairments. Stella Denton (left) with Lavender and Peggy Virgin with Violet at Camelot Care's home in Wellington, Somerset ( image source ). A 2018 study found that doll therapy (DT) significantly improved agitation, irritability, and depression compared to gesture-verbal therapy (GVT) and control groups. When comparing the two interventions, DT was more effective in reducing agitation, whereas GVT was more effective in alleviating apathy. GVT and DT can effectively reduce specific Neuropsychiatric Symptoms (NPS) in dementia patients, with each therapy showing strengths in different symptom areas (Balzotti, 2018). Changes of NPI subdomains in gesture-verbal therapy (GVT) group vs doll therapy (DT) group. The mean values of the difference between the post-NPI and pre-NPI score assessment were agitation/aggression, apathy/indifference, and irritability/liability. NPI total score preintervention and postintervention assessments. NPI subdomains preintervention and postintervention assessments in (A) gesture-verbal therapy, (B) doll therapy, and (C) control groups. Similarly, a 2023 meta-analysis confirmed that DT reduced neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety (Peng et al., 2023). The psychological benefits of doll therapy extend beyond behaviour regulation—while empathy dolls strengthen caregiving responses, lifelike dolls provide emotional comfort without fostering strong attachments. However, cognitive improvements remain limited, suggesting that DT primarily influences emotional well-being rather than memory or executive function. Doll Therapy at Vida Healthcare, a specialist dementia care home in Harrogate ( image source ). Dolls have a role in social cognition and social understanding, improving emotional processing and providing a unique medium for practising empathy and compassion. Whether enabling a child to navigate challenging social interactions or offering solace to a person with dementia, dolls act as more than just objects—they are catalysts for connection, understanding, and healing. As neuroscience and psychology continue to uncover the potential of dolls, it is clear that they are not only instruments of play but an essential tool for shaping the human experience. Dolls are unique tools for exploring human emotion and interactions, deeply woven into human history and psychology. Studies underscore their role in social cognition, improving emotional processing, and providing a unique medium for practising empathy and compassion. References Anon. (1897). A study of dolls . Google Books. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=TGvfAAAAMAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA8 Gerson, S., Keating, J., Hashmi, S., et al. (2024). Doll play improves social processing: Evidence from a randomised-control trial . Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4794246/v1 Hashmi, S., Vanderwert, R. E., Paine, A. L., & Gerson, S. A. (2022). Doll play prompts social thinking and social talking: Representations of the internal state language in the brain. Developmental Science, 25 , e13163. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13163 Hashmi, S., Paine, A. L., & Hay, D. F. (2021). Seven-year-olds' references to internal states when playing with toy figures and a video game. Infant and Child Development, 30 (4), e2223. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2223 Balzotti, A., Filograsso, M., Altamura, C., Fairfield, B., Bellomo, A., Daddato, F., Vacca, R. A., & Altamura, M. (2018). Comparison of the efficacy of gesture-verbal treatment and doll therapy for managing neuropsychiatric symptoms in older patients with dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry , 34(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4961 Yu Peng, MSN, Yang Liu, MSN, Zhongxian Guo, MSN, Yuhan Zhang, PhD, Liyan Sha, PhD, Xiaorun Wang, MSN, & Yang He, PhD. (2023). Doll therapy for improving behaviour, psychology, and cognition among older nursing home residents with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197457223002677 Mattel. (2024). Latest findings: Doll play prompts children to talk about others' thoughts and emotions . Retrieved from https://corporate.mattel.com/news/latest-findings-doll-play-prompts-children-to-talk-about-others-thoughts-and-emotions Mitchell, G., et al. (2014). Doll therapy for dementia patients: Examining the benefits and challenges . Dementia , 13 (2), 206–225. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1471301214548522 Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Volume 1. Attachment . London: Hogarth Press. Winnicott, D. W. (1953). Transitional objects and transitional phenomena: A study of the first not-me possession. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 34 (2), 89–97. Miesen, B. M. L. (1993). Alzheimer's disease, the phenomenon of parent fixation and Bowlby's attachment theory. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 8 (2), 147–153. Malinowski, S. D., Nicosia, F., Mehling, W., Woodstock, R., & Barnes, D. E. (2022). Guys and dolls: Two case reports of spontaneous interactions with dolls in male veterans with dementia. Psychological Services, 19 (3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000509 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (ca. 2030–1802 B.C.). Paddle doll  [Wood, mud, linen string, paint]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, United States. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544216 Tiz Creel  of Living Things Studio ©2025 Thank you for reading 🫀 Keep it playful.

The curious relationship between Tetris and trauma Tetris on the original Gameboy. Tetris is a classic stacking puzzle video game created by Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. A staple of play culture, it has entertained people across generations, cultures, and contexts. Recent studies suggest Tetrist might be more than just a game; it could play a surprising role in trauma therapy, helping to disrupt the consolidation of distressing memories and even fostering brain plasticity. The game challenges players to manipulate falling geometric shapes composed of four square blocks to complete horizontal lines without leaving empty spaces. A player earns points by completing a full line, which makes it disappear. The goal is to score as many points as possible by clearing lines while preventing the blocks from accumulating and reaching the top of the screen. Tetris was one of the first games in space with cosmonaut Serebrov A. Aleksandr aboard the Mir space station in 1993 ( Image   Source ). Several studies have investigated the therapeutic applications of Tetris. A notable research in 2018 found that playing Tetris shortly after experiencing a traumatic event could reduce the occurrence of intrusive memories that contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Iyadurai et al., 2018). The study involved individuals who had recently been in motor vehicle accidents, dividing them into two groups: one played Tetris after recalling their traumatic memories, while the control group did not. The Tetris group reported nearly three times fewer intrusive memories than the control group, suggesting that the game interfered with memory consolidation. Concept Intervention Group (Tetris) Control Group Participant count (n=34) (n=33) Mean (M): The average number of intrusive memories reported. 8.73 23.26 Range: The lowest and highest number of intrusive memories reported. 0 and 55 0 and 120 Table 2 Intention-to-treat results for primary and secondary outcomes in the trial. Patients engaged in a brief trauma memory reminder task, recording memories daily in a diary for one week. Half the participants were instructed to play Tetris right after the memory task. The results demonstrate significant differences; the Tetris Group had an average of 8.73 intrusive memories, whereas the Control group had 23.26—almost three times more. For part b, each circle represents participants who reported a certain number of intrusive memories on a particular day; the larger circles mean more people reported that number. The solid lines represent trends over time (how intrusive memories changed across the seven days). When a person experiences a traumatic event, their brain consolidates the memory in stages, transferring it from short-term to long-term storage. This process, known as memory consolidation, can lead to persistent intrusive thoughts. Tetris interrupts the consolidation of intrusive memories by engaging the brain in a visual task, preventing traumatic memories from taking control. Playing Tetris after a traumatic event stops a person from encoding and consolidating that memory and reduces the likelihood of distressing memories solidifying into long-term intrusive thoughts. Neuroimaging results of whole-brain analysis. Brain image displays the cluster from a whole-brain analysis across all participants, comparing increases in the Tetris group to the therapy-only control group after treatment. Beyond its short-term benefits, Tetris may also contribute to long-term brain changes. A 2020 study by Butler et al. investigates the behavioural and neurological changes, focusing on hippocampal volume—a brain region crucial for memory and emotional regulation. The study combined Tetris with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for combat-related PTSD. While both groups showed reduced PTSD symptoms, only the Tetris group demonstrated significant hippocampal growth. Paying Tetris disrupts trauma memory consolidation and may enhance neuroplasticity, strengthening the brain's ability to regulate emotions and process memories more effectively. Tetris can act as both a cognitive interference task (disrupting trauma memory reconsolidation) or a brain-training tool (enhancing neuroplasticity), ensuring long-term maintenance of symptom reductions. Butler concluded that hippocampal neurogenesis (new brain cell growth) can lead to "subsequent reductions in PTSD symptoms by weakening memories of the traumatic event and strengthening memories formed during therapy" (Butler et al., 2020). Psychological questionnaire scores and hippocampal grey matter. (A) Changes in Psychological Symptoms Over Time. (B) The Relationship Between Brain Growth and Symptom Reduction. The study measured symptoms of PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression in three moments: Before therapy (Pre) Immediately after therapy (Post) Six months later (Follow-up) PTSD (PDS scores), Depression (BDI scores), and Anxiety (STAI scores) all decreased immediately after therapy, and the EMDR therapy worked for both groups. At 6-month follow-up, both groups maintained reduced PTSD symptoms, but only the Tetris group maintained reduced anxiety symptoms. The more significant hippocampal growth correlated with more considerable symptom reductions at follow-up. Patients who had more hippocampal growth showed more significant PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptom reductions over time, suggesting that therapy alone did not trigger the same brain changes as Tetris did (Buttler et al., 2020). Tetris is more than just a game—it holds therapeutic potential. Recent studies suggest that playing Tetris can disrupt traumatic memory consolidation, reduce intrusive thoughts, and even promote brain plasticity, offering a low-cost, widely accessible complement to traditional PTSD treatments. As research continues to explore the intersection of gaming and mental health, Tetris stands as a compelling example of how play can have profound psychological benefits References Iyadurai, L., Blackwell, S. E., Meiser-Stedman, R., Watson, P. C., Bonsall, M. B., Geddes, J. R., Nobre, A. C., & Holmes, E. A. (2018). Preventing intrusive memories after trauma via a brief intervention involving Tetris computer game play in the emergency department: a proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial. Molecular psychiatry, 23(3), 674–682. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2017.23 Butler, O., Herr, K., Willmund, G., Gallinat, J., Kühn, S., & Zimmermann, P. (2020). Trauma, treatment and Tetris: video gaming increases hippocampal volume in male patients with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 45(4), 279–287. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.190027 Tiz Creel  of Living Things Studio ©2025 Thank you for reading 🫀 Keep it playful.

What can play teach us about ourselves and the world around us? Play is more than mere entertainment—it is a powerful tool for understanding, adaptation, and exploration. Across the natural world, play manifests in fascinating ways: otters juggle small stones (Allison et al., 2020), seals surf waves (Dukehart, 2014), and crows slide down snowy surfaces (Emery, 2012). Play is not just a pointless pastime; it is an evolutionary mechanism that fosters relief, curiosity, exploration, experimentation, discovery, and most importantly, connection. A new perspective is emerging around the idea that play—as a concept, a design tool, and an experience—is vital in understanding ourselves and the world around us. Play shapes our minds, expands our knowledge, and influences culture. As fundamental as it is misunderstood, we are only scratching the surface of what play can do for us. In the human world, play has led to extraordinary outcomes. Gamers have solved complex protein-folding puzzles that stumped researchers for decades (Koepnick et al., 2019; Bohannon, 2010). Research suggests that playing Tetris shortly after experiencing a traumatic event may reduce the likelihood of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Butler et al., 2020; Iyadurai et al., 2018). Meanwhile, studies on doll play reveal its role in fostering empathy and social understanding in children (Hashmi et al., 2022; Gerson et al., 2024). In larps (live-action role play), adults around the world embody characters and navigate fictional scenarios, sometimes grappling with ethical dilemmas, challenging interpersonal dynamics, and facing uncomfortable situations that reflect real-life complexities. As a relatively new playform, larp has evolved an intricate and unique culture of care, collaboration, and trust (Losilla, 2024) (Vejdemo, 2018). In-depth: Foldit, playing to solve real-world scientific problem Tetris, rewiring the mind after trauma Doll play and the human mind Larp culture, the art of playing with others Play can transform how we engage with the world and each other. It inspires us to cooperate, embrace uncertainty, create new worlds, and develop a sense of individual and collective identity —these qualities are increasingly critical in today's unpredictable world. Play has multiple practical applications and benefits; most importantly, it helps us pursue a higher interest in the things around us. When we play, we engage fully with life and its dimensions to reach the most profound truths in ordinary things. Play is not just an escape from reality; it is a speculative tool for reimagining the future, shaping culture, and revealing new truths. New truths can arise through a dialectic between play and reality—playing is a way to meet the world. Kubrick, S. (1980). The Shining . Warner Bros. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy — an old English proverb from the 1600s. References Auersperg, A. M. I., Kacelnik, A., & von Bayern, A. M. P. (2020). A new problem-solving task in a highly explorative parrot: The object-choice test with cover. PLOS ONE, 15 (6), e0234262. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234262 Emery, N. (2012, June 28). Crow playmates. Psychology Today . https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/avian-einsteins/201206/crow-playmates Emery, N. (2012, May 30). Corvid tool use, play, and more. Psychology Today . https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/avian-einsteins/201205/corvid-tool-use-play-and-more Dukehart, C. (2014, December 5). Surfing seals catch a wave in South Africa . National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/article/surfing-seals-catch-a-wave-in-south-africa Iyadurai, L., Blackwell, S. E., Meiser-Stedman, R., Watson, P. C., Bonsall, M. B., Geddes, J. R., Nobre, A. C., & Holmes, E. A. (2018). Preventing intrusive memories after trauma via a brief intervention involving Tetris computer game play in the emergency department: a proof-of-concept randomised controlled trial. Molecular psychiatry, 23(3), 674–682. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2017.23 Butler, O., Herr, K., Willmund, G., Gallinat, J., Kühn, S., & Zimmermann, P. (2020). Trauma, treatment and Tetris: video gaming increases hippocampal volume in male patients with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 45(4), 279–287. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.190027 Koepnick, B., Flatten, J., Husain, T. et al . (2019). De novo protein design by citizen scientists. Nature, 575, 184–188. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1274-4 Bohannon, J. (2010, August 4). Video game helps solve protein structures . Science. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://www.science.org/content/article/video-game-helps-solve-protein-structures Gerson, S., Keating, J., Hashmi, S., et al. (2024). Doll play improves social processing: Evidence from a randomised-control trial . Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4794246/v1 Hashmi, S., Vanderwert, R. E., Paine, A. L., & Gerson, S. A. (2022). Doll play prompts social thinking and social talking: Representations of the internal state language in the brain. Developmental Science, 25 , e13163. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13163 Losilla, S. (2024, June 11). Rules, trust, and care: The Nordic larper's risk management toolkit . Nordic Larp. https://nordiclarp.org/2024/06/11/rules-trust-and-care-the-nordic-larpers-risk-management-toolkit/ Vejdemo, S. (2018, February 21). Play to lift, not just to lose . Nordic Larp. https://nordiclarp.org/2018/02/21/play-lift-not-just-lose/ Zimmerman, Eric. (2014). "Manifesto for a Ludic Century."  In Steffen P. Walz & Sebastian Deterding (Eds.), The Gameful World: Approaches, Issues, Applications . The MIT Press. Tiz Creel  of Living Things Studio ©2025 Thank you for reading 🫀 Keep it playful.