Destruction. Carpet bombing war-torn streets, flooding tsunamis turn once picturesque coastal towns into submerged graves, forest fires burn flora and fauna indiscriminately until they are nothing more than husks of ash. But behind the violent nature of destruction, beneath the charred embers, there lies new growth. It is part of the cycle; destruction makes way to creation, which leads to preservation, only to turn once again to destruction. 

The 2021 editions of THINK explored these themes, showcasing research that help us create a new world, preserve our heritage, and the destructive side of human nature.

War never changes. But about war songs and poetry? We look at examples from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jihadists, and Korean Revolutionaries to see if humanity’s penchant for violence has changed throughout history and across continents (page 16). 

We would like to think there is a level playing field between men and women in academia, but the glass ceiling is still here. How can we shatter it, and bring ourselves closer to a more egalitarian society (page 28)? 

The threat of a global climate catastrophe looms closer with every puff of exhaust and carelessly discarded plastic bottle. Can we design our cities to be less of a befouling factory and more of community (page 54)? What about the plastic plight that pollutes our local seas? The answer here isn’t just recycling, but holding giant corporations and governments accountable for their mess (page 20).

Death and destruction go hand in hand. But death doesn’t have to be a cold, eldritch abyss. Death can create magnificent works of art (page 68) and learning to deal with death can also help us to lead fulfilling lives (page 57). 

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