Skeptic Society Magazine

This Giant Waterlily Species Was Discovered Via Instagram

Say what you will about Instagram, but the social media platform has undeniably contributed to the furthering of scientific research. The latest case-in-point: A new species of giant waterlily has been discovered thanks to a selfie. The photo, taken by botanist Jeremiah Harris, featured a huge waterlily that Harris himself identified as Victoria amazonica. However, the location in which it was taken—along the Inírida...

Winners of the 2026 Epson International Pano Awards

© Xuecheng Liu / The 17th Epson International Pano Awards Center of the Cosmos. Winner, Open-Built Environment. Times Square, New York City. Liu: “Times Square is one of the most photographed places in the world, so my challenge was to find a perspective that could make such a familiar place feel unfamiliar again. From above, the dense architecture, streets, and illuminated billboards seem to...

Google’s DeepMind Quietly Hiring Nuclear Physicists

Top AI labs have been hiring subject matter experts across academic disciplines for years at this point — often turning them into glorified fact-checkers whose labor is used to train the AI models of tomorrow. Still, Google’s latest job listing is odd, even by those admittedly strange standards, and may reveal a lot about the future big tech has in mind for humanity. As...

Lit Hub Daily: October 20, 2026

TODAY: In 1854, Arthur Rimbaud is born. Was Cormac McCarthy that guy in your MFA? | Lit Hub Craft How being a writer helped Emma Smith-Stevens navigate the American health insurance system (and why her experiences expose the cruelty of for-profit medicine). | Lit Hub Health We promise: you really don’t need a smartphone. | Lit Hub Technology The 20 new books out today include...

Union’s 2026 Suede Nike Dunks Are Beautifully Boneless

First, Union took the Nike Dunk around the world, dropping three impressive sneakers inspired by Chris Gibbs’ favorite cities to cop gear. The Los Angeles brand has now loosened up the Nike Dunk, so much so that it turned into a mule. Stick with me while I explain. Union’s newest Dunks feature a “boneless” suede upper that’s so supple it collapses. Even the heel...