Meer | English edition

Sunday, December 28, 2025

Smog blankets Chinese cities, a visible reminder of the tension between development and public health

Narrow alleys and courtyard homes stand as living relics of old Beijing

China’s great awakening: an account of economic boom, environmental cost, and a prophecy fulfilled © Illustration by Paola Bilancieri

A hazy skyline reflects the environmental cost of decades of rapid economic growth in China

As skyscrapers rise, Beijing’s hutongs quietly testify to what development leaves behind

Economy & Politics

Did Napoleon predict China’s development?

From sleeping giant to economic titan: the paradox of China’s unstoppable progress

A visionary fusion of science and creativity: a designer reimagines the future by weaving quantum mechanics into the fabric of architecture, materials, and interconnected systems

Science & Technology

The quantum syntax of design

Weaving uncertainty, entanglement, and potentiality into creative practice

Tamuna Museridze is a Georgian journalist and activist who became widely known after uncovering irregularities in her own birth documents

Economy & Politics

Tamuna Museridze: the woman who turned pain into purpose

Revealing Georgia’s buried histories through a journey that became a lifeline for thousands

Cricket’s journey from its European roots to its South Asian dominance, where packed stadiums and passionate fans contrast with Europe’s quieter legacy, yet a new wave of teams like Italy, Germany, and Denmark signals hope for the sport’s revival

Cricket’s lost home: exploring Europe’s forgotten legacy

Does cricket have a future in Europe?

On the Street

A beautiful Japanese woman in a black long-sleeve shirt playing the harp on a street in Kyoto, Japan

The timeless elegance of the harp

The origins, evolution, and cultural significance of the harp

The relationship between the Judaism and Christian faith through the art of the Sistine Chapel

Judaism is the foundation of the Christian faith

The Sistine Chapel with Rabbi Benjamin Blech and Roy Doliner

A person sat at a table using social media on a mobile phone

The impact of mobiles and social-media

Bridging the distance but keeping people apart

The unforgettable sights, sounds, and tastes of Marrakech

One year later: the enduring memories of Marrakech

A journey of self-discovery and unexpected adventures

Microbiome and menthal health

Microbiome and mental health

Beautiful sunset over Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, Central America

A heartfelt rhyme

Architecture & Design

The Port of Antwerp is the port of the city of Antwerp, Belgium

The art and impact of architectural photography

Capturing space, light, and story

Garden oasis overlooking the main building, Itchiku Kubota Art Museum ©Alma Reyes

Living paradise in Lake Kawaguchi

The exotic Itchiku Kubota Art Museum and garden

Art

The Venus of Monruz (also Venus of Neuchâtel, Venus of Neuchâtel-Monruz) is a Venus figurine of the late Upper Paleolithic, or the beginning Epipaleolithic, dating to the end of the Magdalenian, some 11,000 years ago

The artist behind the Venus

Two Venuses figurines from prehistoric Europe may reveal the birth of artistic identity and recognition

An expressive artist spray-painting the wall of an abandoned building, embodying the spirit of a creative soul

The artist's solitary life: truth or myth?

How do we understand the irrepressible soul of the artist in a world that contradicts his nature?

Culture

A beautifully lit Christmas tree glowing inside a home, representing the warmth and togetherness that defines Christmas across cultures

Christmas around the world

How different nations bring their own style to one of the world’s most cherished holiday

A symbolic tribute to the enslaved men and women who rose in 1811, demanding humanity, dignity, and liberation in the face of unimaginable violence

Untold and untaught history: the 1811 Louisiana revolt

Freedom or death: uncovering the historic 1811 Louisiana slave revolt and the legacy of resistance

Economy & Politics

A team collaborating around a futuristic digital interface in a modern office

The courage to innovate

Redefining progress through self-awareness, leadership, and collective purpose

A young African American fashion designer working late in her sewing workspace, a creative professional deep in thought

The price of my worth

A personal reckoning with inequality, silence, and the fight for financial justice

Entertainment

A woman placing her hand on a microphone

Beyond audiobooks: the intimacy of interactive audio

How interactive audio stories turn passive listening into performance

First released in Japan in June 1997 and in North America in January 1998, Final Fantasy Tactics is a tactical role-playing game for the PlayStation, developed and published by Square, with Sony Computer Entertainment managing the Western release

What 'Final Fantasy Tactics' can teach about politics today

An anti-Machiavellian reading of a gaming classic, showing why its themes of oppression, integrity, and moral choice still resonate today

Fashion

Drag queens transform fashion into a language of resistance, where sequins, silhouettes, and performance become acts of visibility and power

Drag queens and fashion

A vibrant alliance of art, identity, and activism

A dreamy scene of a woman floating in the sky, surrounded by soft white clouds

Pantone’s cloud dancer

Color of the year for a world with a fading global horizon

Feature

A silhouette suspended between memory and momentum: Aldonza in the space where two worlds meet

Ahmed's painting

The art of waiting for the giant

A deserted indoor hallway in a ruined, deteriorating house

The thirteenth floor

A not-so-beatific NYC suicide beat

Food & Wine

A man holding a freshly caught red-spotted trout in his hands

The Black Sea trout in a posthuman age

On the decline of Salmo rizeensis in Rize’s rivers and the ethical questions of human intervention

Close-up of a bowl of chia seeds surrounded by other healthy superfoods on a kitchen table

Superfoods: science, hype, and what really fuels our health

A closer look at the truth behind the health halo

Science & Technology

An engineer collaborates with a robotic assistant in a modern industrial facility, showcasing human-robot teamwork

When machines master skills in minutes, not months

How generative AI is transforming robotics from rigid machines into learning companions

The microfluidic chip, a key element of future lab-on-a-chip devices

How microfluidics is reshaping modern science

The lab-on-a-chip technology revolution

Sport

Strength in motion: mobility turns power into control

Mobility is the new muscle

The missing link in strength, longevity, and injury prevention

Blonde woman with orange and white face paint watching a football match

How TikTok is changing how we talk about football

Why 90-second clips are reshaping how fans learn, debate, and engage with the game’s tactical side

Travel

Bandipur is a charming hilltop town in Nepal known for its well-preserved Newar architecture, rich cultural heritage, and stunning Himalayan views

Bandipur: Nepal’s timeless hilltop village

A charming Newar settlement known for heritage, sustainability, and community between Kathmandu and Pokhara

Table Mountain from near Lion’s Head, Cape Town, photographed by Jade Stephens

A letter from the Mother City

Life between the oceans and mountains of Cape Town

Wellness

A woman walking on a road near hills under a cloudy sky, smiling, symbolizing her healing journey, spiritual warfare, and overcoming trauma, embodying peace and purpose

Mary's healing journey: overcoming trauma through faith

How prayer, scripture, and community led to victory after abuse

A woman seated in stillness overlooking a radiant skyline, symbolizing the expansion of consciousness

Nice girls don’t walk between worlds

A personal awakening story of dissolving 3D patterns and stepping into a 5D state of presence

Explore the Calendar

Worldwide Luxembourg Dresden Ghent Berlin Paris Honolulu Prague Rome San Francisco Mexico City London Hamburg Santiago Québec Hong Kong New York Lisbon Chicago Seoul Turin Madrid Buenos Aires

LA Art Show, past edition, event view. Courtesy of LA Art Show

LA Art Show kicks off art season on January

7 — 11 Jan 2026 at LA Art Show in Los Angeles, United States

Lucknow from the Gomti (detail), 1821 and 1826. Courtesy of Yale Center for British Art

Painters, ports, and profits (...)

8 Jan — 21 Jun 2026 at the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, United States

Kim In Ok, The road to Hanggeum-ri (detail), 2023. Courtesy of Kate Oh Gallery

Kim In Ok's exhibition

8 — 18 Jan 2026 at the Kate Oh Gallery in New York, United States

David Kroll, Seascape egret and vase (detail), 2025. Courtesy of Lisa Sette Gallery

NI: Natural intelligence

10 Jan — 28 Feb 2026 at Lisa Sette Gallery in Phoenix, United States

Junna Maruyama, Shape of soul (detail). Courtesy of Corey Helford Gallery

10 Jan — 14 Feb 2026 at the Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles, United States

Dora Somosi, Mending madder (detail). Courtesy of Gilman Contemporary

Alchemy of memory

16 Jan — 25 Feb 2026 at the Gilman Contemporary in Sun Valley, United States

Miguel Arzabe, La bahía de niebla (detail), 2025. Courtesy of Johansson Projects

Sin contar cincuenta (Without counting fifty)

17 Jan — 21 Mar 2026 at the Johansson Projects in Oakland, United States

Kais Salman, Red carpet (detail), 2025. Courtesy of Ayyam Gallery

17 Jan — 18 Mar 2026 at the Ayyam Gallery in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dawn Ng, September (detail), 2025. Courtesy of Dawn Ng Studio and Sullivan+Strumpf. Photography by Liling Ong

The Earth laughs in flowers

21 — 31 Jan 2026 at Sullivan+Strumpf in Singapore, Singapore

Karl Hartman, Dust (detail), 2012. Courtesy of Garvey|Simon

The nature of nature

21 Jan — 27 Feb 2026 at Garvey | Simon in Manhattan, United States

Seth Birchall, A time to settle (down) (detail), 2025. Courtesy of the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf

22 Jan — 22 Feb 2026 at Sullivan+Strumpf in Singapore, Singapore

Andrade Tudela, La verdad ha cambiado (video still), 2020-2022. Courtesy of Francesca Minini

22 Jan — 7 Mar 2026 at the Francesca Minini in Milan, Italy

Noah Davis, 1975 (8), 2013. Courtesy of the Philadelphia Art Museum

Noah Davis's exhibition

24 Jan — 26 Apr 2026 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, United States

Alair Pambegan, Untitled #1 (detail), 2025. Courtesy of the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf. Photography by Aaron Anderson

29 Jan — 21 Feb 2026 at Sullivan+Strumpf in Sydney, Australia

Yuyan Wang, The moon also rises (still) (detail), 2023. Courtesy of Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts

5 Feb — 5 Apr 2026 at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts in Cambridge, United States

Wayilkpa Maymuru, Maŋgalili origins (detail), 2025. Courtesy of Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Arts Centre and Sullivan+Strumpf. Photography by Aaron Anderson

Hidden in the stars

5 Feb — 7 Mar 2026 at Sullivan+Strumpf in Sydney, Australia

Signal and strata. Courtesy of Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts

Signal and strata

6 Feb — 5 Apr 2026 at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts in Cambridge, United States

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