22 h. ago To understand how AI will reconfigure humanity, try this German fairytale | Clemens J Setz

Artificial intelligence will replace creativity with something closer to magical wishing. The challenge for future generations will be dealing with the feeling of emptiness that leaves us withIn the German fairytale The Fisherman and His Wife, an old man one day catches a strange fish: a talking flounder. It turns out that an enchanted prince is trapped inside this fish and that it can therefore grant any wish. The man’s wife, Ilsebill, is delighted and wishes for increasingly excessive things. She turns their miserable hut into a castle, but that is not enough; eventually she wants to become the pope and, finally, God. This enrages the elements; the sea turns dark and she is transformed back into her original impoverished state. The moral of the story: don’t wish for anything you’re not entitled to.Several variations of this classic fairytale motif are known. Sometimes, the wishes are not so much excessive or offensive to the divine order of the world, but simply clumsy or contradi...

Politics

4 d. ago The new 2025 London Open House Festival tours to book if you love homes

The new 2025 London Open House Festival tours to book if you love homes  wallpaper.com

Society

1 week ago Bladnoch Distillery announces partnership with Wigtown Book Festival

Bladnoch, Scotland’s oldest privately-owned Scotch whisky distillery has announced a partnership with the 27th annual Wigtown Book Festival.

Culture

2 w. ago Balfron set to host book bonanza as annual festival prepares to welcome visitors

The festival celebrates books and storytelling in the Stirlingshire village - with a diverse line-up of authors lined up for talks and presentations.

Culture

3 w. ago Best Christmas market holidays to book now – from just £74pp

Back from summer and already dreaming of Christmas? Now’s the time to book a festive market break – here are five of the best deals to get you in the spirit.

Economics

3 w. ago Sam Heughan at the Edinburgh International Book Festival: Here are 11 amazing pictures of the star at the sold out event

It was one of the hottest tickets in town.

Culture

3 w. ago Sam Heughan Edinburgh book festival demand proves Outlander success is no fading force

The final season of hit TV phenomenon Outlander may be due to air early next year, but the hype around the series and its male lead shows no signs of abating.

Culture

3 w. ago Sam Heughan: How fans from Belgium, US travelled to get last

Tickets for the Sam Heughan event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival sold out within 15 minutes

Politics

3 w. ago Edinburgh International Festival dance review: Figures in Extinction

The climate crisis is addressed with empathy, wit and assuredness in a new collaboration between Simon McBurney and Crystal Pite, writes Kelly Apter

Culture

3 w. ago Edinburgh Festivals diary: How Scottish are the festivals and how Scottish should they be?

The Edinburgh International Festival was almost based in Oxford

Politics

3 w. ago Sam Heughan in Edinburgh: Outlander Jamie Fraser star Sam Heughan poses for photos at Edinburgh Tattoo

Heughan is in the city for the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Culture

3 w. ago Ken Loach in Edinburgh: Palestine Action ban is 'legal monstrosity'

The filmmaker posed with activists after an event at the Edinburgh International Film festival

Politics

3 w. ago Edinburgh International Book Festival: The future of creativity in the age of AI

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is an event that aims to 'celebrate and share the power of writers, their ideas, and the words they craft'. The festival welcomes hundreds of world-renowned authors, journalists, scientists, and artists to the Scottish capital for just over two weeks every August. This year there was one question on everyone's minds: what is the future of creativity in the age of AI?

Culture

3 w. ago Hong Kong on show at Edinburgh Festival Fringe for third year running

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest melting pot of international theatre, music, dance and comedy in the world, and this year marks Hong Kong's third year bringing the Hong Kong Soul Showcase to Edinburgh. With three shows spanning dance and music, each performance puts the artistic excellence of Hong Kong front and centre on the world stage. We spoke to producer Sky Sum about the programme.

Culture

4 w. ago Entrepreneur behind Europe’s largest surf resort launches adventure sports

Andy Hadden, founder of Lost Shore Surf Resort, Europe’s largest inland surfing destination, has unveiled The Lighthouse at the EICA - a premium flexible workspace inside the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena in Ratho. Designed for up to 90 professionals, it blends coworking and private desks, offices and breakout areas with unrivalled doorstep access to some of the UK’s most exciting adventure sports.

Politics

4 w. ago Festivals diary: Why everything is broken and one comedian's famous heckler

Eva Victor told the Edinburgh International Film Festival is was not her first time in Edinburgh in August

Culture