Gerardo Bandera

New York

Audience Editor at New Scientist

Writer at Freelance

Audience editor at @newscientist

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Articles

Speculative novel layers Groundhog Day with existential dreaminess

2 months ago | newscientist.com | Gerardo Bandera

On the Calculation of Volume (parts I and II)Â Solvej Balle, translated (from Danish) by Barbara J. HavelandFaber & Faber (UK);Â New DirectionsÂ (US)On his 70th birthday, Albert Einstein received a manuscript from his friend, the logician Kurt GĂ¶del, that mathematically demonstrated something he had conjectured, but never proven: according to his general theory of relativity it was possible for space-time to bend and close in on itself, creating a loop to the past.
Why is concrete so damaging to the environment? | FairPlanet

Dec 26, 2024 | fairplanet.org | Gerardo Bandera

What makes concrete so damaging? From carbon-heavy cement production to water-intensive processes and biodiversity loss, its impacts run deep.
Forgotten slavery: The Arab-Muslim slave trade

Sep 22, 2024 | fairplanet.org | Bob Koigi |Shadi Khan Saif |Gerardo Bandera |Yair Oded

Over the years, global attention and discussions on slavery have primarily focused on the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, dominated by American and European merchants. However, another equally significant trade has been largely overlooked and, in some cases, treated as a taboo subject, despite its profound impact on Africa, its people and their way of life across generations.
The Blue Whale is close to extinction. How many are left?

Jul 25, 2024 | fairplanet.org | Gerardo Bandera

The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) has been listed as an endangered species to protect the remaining population. Conservation efforts are focussing on cracking down on illegal whaling ships, cleaning up oceans from fishing nets and other dangerous debris, as well as nurturing baby whales to make sure they survive. However, this may not be enough to save this incredible animal from extinction if stricter measures are not imposed and obeyed. Why are blue whales endangered?
How climate colonialism affects the Global South | FairPlanet

Jul 21, 2024 | fairplanet.org | Gerardo Bandera

Wealthy nations often abuse their position of power to 'export' their climate solutions abroad, especially when solutions are for-profit.
Corporate Pinkwashing: How did we get here and what to do about it

May 28, 2024 | fairplanet.org | Gerardo Bandera

Months before June, companies’ marketing calendars remind them to begin working on their Pride campaigns: the graphic design department decorates logos and slogans with colourful rainbows; the copywriting department writes jingles and puns with queer lingo; and the finance department estimates how much profit the campaign is forecasted to generate. By the time Pride month rolls around, the corporate world explodes in a colourful carnival of pro-LGBTQ+ advertisements, campaigns and rebrandings.
哪些國家對同性戀者實施死刑？ | FairPlanet

Feb 11, 2024 | fairplanet.org | Gerardo Bandera

February 12, 2024 topic: LGBT Rights tags: #同性戀, #性別表達, #沙地阿拉伯, #伊朗, #Yemen, #汶萊 located: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Brunei, Mauritania, Nigeria, Yemen by: Gerardo Bandera 在世界各地，同性戀者不斷面對歧視、暴力、騷擾和社會污名。雖然社會運動在很多國家取得了接受性的進展，但在個別一些國家，同性戀仍然被視為違法的行為，甚至可以處以死刑。有62個國家的法律制度繼續將同性行為定為違法行為，其中一些國家還禁止特定的性別表達形式。在很多情況下，這些法律只適用於兩名男性之間的性關係，可是有38個國家已修例，將女性之間的性關係也定為刑事罪行。這些刑罰顯示出對人權的侵犯，尤其是侵害了言論自由的權利、發展個人人格的權利和生存權利。...
非矞俄羅斯人受到種族歧視的演變史 | FairPlanet

Nov 20, 2023 | fairplanet.org | Gerardo Bandera

俄羅斯的人口達1.44億，其中估計約有4萬至7萬人是非洲黑人或混有非洲黑人血統的人。與美國和歐洲國家大有不同，俄羅斯的黑人不是透過非洲奴隸貿易而來到俄羅斯，而且俄羅斯本身也反對這貿易制度。俄羅斯國內的非矞黑人主要都是在蘇聯時期來到這個地方。前蘇聯態度在18和19世紀，俄羅斯都沒有參與歐洲和美國的奴隸貿易和非洲殖民化的行動。事實上，沙皇尼古拉一世禁止了非洲奴隸在國內的買賣，認為這是不道德(除了允許農奴制度)。當意大利軍隊在1895年入侵埃塞俄比亞，俄羅斯認為這場攻擊基督徒人口的戰事十分可恥，所以向埃塞俄比亞軍隊提供武器去擊敗入侵者。著名的非矞俄羅斯人亞歷山大‧普希金的曾外祖父阿布拉姆‧加尼巴爾是來自現今的喀麥隆。彼得大帝把他從奴隸身份釋放，之後他就成為了沙皇的追隨者和保護者。儘管如此，普希金經常被描繪成白人，而很多現今的俄羅斯人都不為意他其實是黑人。...
New Scientist recommends Being You and The Man Without Qualities

Nov 8, 2023 | newscientist.com | Gerardo Bandera

I have been listening to the audiobook of Being You: A new science of consciousness by Anil Seth (pictured above). This is a fascinating exploration of his idea that consciousness is the result of the biological processes of our bodies and that the sensation of selfhood – of being “you” – and our sense of reality itself emerge from what he calls “the brain’s controlled hallucination”, based on predictions of the body’s internal state.