Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture Vol. 27 No. 2 explores the healing power of philosophy through diverse perspectives—ranging from ancient Stoic and Socratic traditions to modern reflections on public space and health during the COVID-19 pandemic. This issue includes articles on the philosophical roots of counseling, medieval Arab efforts to calculate Earth’s circumference, and the overlooked impact of architecture on mental well-being. It also features a call for dialogue between science and religion, a special lecture on Aristotle’s views on women and Greek tragedy, and a review of Florangel Rosario Braid’s inspiring autobiography. Together, these works illuminate how philosophy can expose and ease the sources of human suffering by expanding our capacity for reflection, dialogue, and ethical action.

The SETI Institute announced today a strategic collaboration with SkyMapper, the world’s leading decentralized global astronomy and space science network. Together, they plan to deliver continuous, real-time astronomical data to scientists, educators and enthusiasts worldwide.

This network will enable telescope users and sky-observing stations, including the SETI Institute’s LaserSETI, CAMS, and Unistellar programs to receive realtime observation requests from researchers and contribute their data back into a secure, globally accessible database. SkyMapper’s blockchain-based verification will ensure data integrity and transparency for all submitted data.

In addition, SkyMapper will provide SETI Institute access to its database for research, algorithm training and scientific studies, enabling SETI Institute scientists to advance their work in astronomy and space science through advanced data analysis and processing.

University College Dublin researchers Assoc Prof Barry Wardell and Prof Kylie Jarrett receive a total of €5 million for projects exploring gravitational waves and livelihoods generated by digital platforms.

The cultural space is a reflection of societal values. Alina Poklad, a PhD candidate at Tallinn University's School of Humanities, researched how people with disabilities are portrayed in contemporary Russian culture and how this is reflected in public discourse.