Photos of recent events

For decades, Hollywood was the sole exporter of the "American dream," telling the world what to watch and how to feel. Between 2024 and 2026, the pendulum swung. We discovered that a single artist can influence the GDP of an entire country more than a whole film studio and that artificial intelligence can replace thousands of hands, turning creativity into an accessible construction kit. Before our eyes, a new reality is forming, where the concepts of "star" and "production" take on entirely new meanings.

We have become accustomed to thinking that technology makes our lives more convenient, safer, and transparent. However, there is a darker side to this coin. The information we share, whether consciously or inadvertently, has transformed into a powerful weapon. Today, a single social media post can come at a high price for its owner. The line between "helpful service" and "total surveillance" is increasingly blurred. Internet users unwittingly supply vast amounts of data online, which algorithms and malicious actors exploit to identify human weaknesses and monetize their fears.

Auction houses are places where common sense often gives way to excitement and nostalgia. Here, ordinary objects turn into sacred relics, and their prices skyrocket not because of practical use but because of the stories they carry. Why would someone pay the price of a villa for an old bit of plastic, or buy the skeleton of an ancient creature to decorate a living room?

For a long time, medicine treated the human body as a machine with many useless parts. "Appendix is an atavism, wisdom teeth are an evolutionary mistake." Such views were common until recently. It turned out that nature, which built our bodies, is a brilliant architect. The so‑called "errors" of evolution are in fact secret tools for human survival and longevity.

Today, bold AI architects compete in the same information space with wise business patriarchs well into their eighties. The energy of their influence reflects specific mental models: obsession with speed, systemic simplification, and fanatical fidelity to principles. These builders of global brands prove daily that true leadership is the ability to stay relevant in any era.

In the modern world, the line between civilization and wild nature often blurs in the most unexpected places. Sometimes, cities and entire countries must adapt to legitimate "indigenous residents" — animals whose migration routes or habitats have ended up ringed by asphalt. While some people close intersections so a duckling can safely make its first important walk from nest to water after its mother, others shut diplomatic channels between states, like a quarreling married couple demanding the return of gifts.

The Photographer of the Year contest is run by the British community, The Society of Photographers. It has transformed from a closed professional club into one of the world's most influential platforms over the decades of its existence. The contest's uniqueness lies in its multi-stage format. It is not just a competition but a visual chronicle of the year.

We tend to think that great discoveries are made by scientists in sterile laboratories or by engineers in secret bureaus. However, in the 21st century, the rules of the game have changed. The most powerful computing resource on the planet is not supercomputers, but billions of people engaged in their daily lives. They unwittingly provide hidden crowdsourcing, creating a digital world, training artificial intelligence, or participating in vaccine development without even realizing it.

Good sleep has become much more than just a physiological pause. It has transformed into one of the most valuable assets of modern life. In an era of 24/7 markets and information overload, the brain's ability to quickly "reset" determines quality of life, directly affecting cognitive abilities and stress resilience. The SleepTech industry is currently valued at $585 billion and encompasses a wide range of products and services.

The Nazca Desert in Peru is one of archaeology's most compelling and unfathomable mysteries. For a century, researchers risking life and limb on the scorched plateau and poring over aerial photographs have identified about 430 monumental geoglyphs. It seemed the limit of discovery had been reached. Yet an international team led by Professor Masato Sakai of Yamagata University (Japan), in collaboration with IBM Research, applied a revolutionary AI approach.

On March 16, 2026, the world of technology officially entered a new era. At the SAP Center, 30,000 people gathered, while the online audience numbered in the millions. Wearing his signature leather jacket, Jensen Huang transformed abstract computing concepts into a tangible reality over the course of two hours. He began with the fundamental theory of tokens and concluded with an emotional scene featuring a snowman robot

The seven largest tech firms in the world—Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, and Tesla—collectively hold around $597 billion in cash, surpassing the foreign exchange reserves of most developed countries. However, financial institutions dominate the top 50 companies with the largest cash reserves, with 13 banks, brokerage houses, and insurance giants serving as the lifeblood of the global economy. Unlike big tech companies, these banks maintain substantial cash reserves, allowing them to act as a "lender of last resort" during crises.