Religion and the Anthropocene

Crochet Coral Reef (2005-present) and the Satellite Reef program are ongoing pieces by sisters Margaret and Christine Wertheim, the reef contributors, and participants. Their socially engaged art piece builds community through collaboration and education. The Institute for Figuring (IFF) is a non-profit organization founded by the sisters and combines education on complex abstract thought with collaborative projects and tactile play. Crochet Coral Reef is broken down into three sections: climate change, plastic trash, and the midden. The main reef, crocheted by the Wertheims and the reef contributors, travels to museums and galleries around the world. The reef is constructed of wool and found plastic trash and objects.  Crochet Coral Reef brings attention to climate change and its devastating effect on coral reefs. The “reefs” crocheted range from healthy corals to bleached ones. Toxic Reef and Bleached Reef are two of the bleached reef pieces that are a part of the core reef, t...

    Andy Weir is an American novelist, focusing primarily on science fiction and speculative sci-fi. He is the author of four books, including The Martian (2014), which was adapted into a movie by Ridley Scott in 2015. With a background in mechanical sciences and computer programming, his writing is often characterized by an in-depth exploration of the mathematics behind the concepts he explores. This is in stark contrast to one of his most prominent works, a short story released in 2009 called “ The Egg .” With almost no scientific bearing, “The Egg” is best described as a religious or philosophical query into how life is connected, and what those connections mean.  The plot of “The Egg” follows a man who has just died in a car crash. The Egg is written in the second person, and the person addressing the reader turns out to be God, who explains the reader’s death. Naturally, you (the reader) inquire about the nature of life, what will happen to your loved ...