Scientists have discovered Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, a unique organism that blurs the line between viruses and cellular life, with a minimal genome and dependence on hosts, challenging traditional definitions of life and offering new insights into microbial evolution.
"Tótem," Mexico's submission for the Oscars, is a masterpiece that explores life, death, grief, and joy through the lens of a young girl celebrating her terminally ill father's birthday. The film beautifully balances an ensemble cast and captures the essence of a family coming together for a bittersweet celebration, ultimately delivering a poignant and euphoric experience.
Tótem, a radiant Mexican film by Lila Avilés, portrays the tango between life and death through the lens of a 7-year-old girl, Sol, as her family prepares for a birthday party while her father battles a terminal illness. The film captures the lively chaos and intimacy of Mexican family life, offering a touching portrayal of human connection amidst the looming presence of death. Through delicate storytelling and luminous camerawork, Tótem explores the complexity of emotions and the fleeting moments of life, ultimately delivering a poignant reflection on the thrilling and chilling polarity of being alive.
Cormac McCarthy, one of the finest American writers of his generation, died at the age of 89. His 12 novels largely depict time as an obliterating force, human life as a momentary spark in an anonymous abyss. McCarthy was a masterful prose stylist, arguably the last surviving heir of what you could call the Old Testament-Melville-Faulkner strain of American writing. His novels are full of human feeling, but emotions are fragile byproducts in McCarthy’s world. They influence events only weakly. They may be wholly meaningless.