TCP002 | ⏰ ~6min read | 🔗 read online
Welcome to The Contemporary Polymath Newsletter, where you broaden your horizons, feed your curiosity, and spark new ideas every Thursday
📧 In This Issue
- Science & Intriguing Reads
- Why we started this newsletter & blog
- Romanian history spotlight: The Golden Helmet
- The psychology of Contextual Thinking
- The math behind Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems
👋🏾 Hey there, friend!
I’m thrilled you’ve joined me, and I realize I never gave you a proper introduction. Over the next few issues, you’ll discover more about me, but let me share why I created The Contemporary Polymath in the first place.
🙋🏾♀️ About the Editor
As a kid, I was that one who tried everything—from building my first computer to exploring ballet, drama, and art classes. I’d race home after school just to launch Microsoft Encarta, eager for my next discovery. My sense of direction was so sharp, my family dubbed me their “human GPS,” since I’d memorize every street, bridge, and exit in the tri-state area.
During middle and high school, I practically lived in the library or at Barnes & Noble, soaking up knowledge on any subject I could find. When Ask Jeeves came along, I kept a notepad full of random questions—like “How are bricks made?”—and couldn’t wait to look them up. I also carried a small notebook to learn German and French, eventually picking up basics of seven different languages. By the time I’d traveled to 27 countries, I was reading 50 to 100 books a year, expanding my worldview with every page.
🧠 Why The Contemporary Polymath?
All these experiences shaped me into what I can only describe as a natural polymath. My neurodivergent mind is endlessly curious, and I spent ages looking for a single “container” for all my interests. Then I stumbled on the word “polymath,” and everything clicked—that was me.
📋 What You Can Expect
I founded The Contemporary Polymath to bring this multifaceted curiosity to life and connect with others who love exploring everything under the sun. We’re here to celebrate being well-rounded, empathetic, and human-centered, because knowledge isn’t just power—it can also spark happiness and meaningful connections. This is only the beginning, and I can’t wait to share more each week.
Speaking of beginnings, this week’s theme leans into all things Romanian—art, history, and so much more. I actually lived in Romania for several years, which kicked off a deep fascination with Romanian art and heritage. So let’s dive right into a story of lost treasure and global intrigue… ready to explore?
🌍This Week’s Explorations
Articles We Wrote
History
👑 A Dacian relic overlooked for centuries is now at the center of an international heist. The Golden Helmet of Coțofenești has vanished—uncover its secrets and why historians fear it may be lost forever.
Psychology
🧠 We all jump to conclusions, but the real story might surprise you. Discover how Contextual Thinking can reshape empathy, reduce conflict, and deepen our understanding of the people around us.
Math
➗ Not everything can be solved by equations. Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems prove that some truths will always remain unprovable, challenging the very foundations of mathematics and AI.
Art
🎨 Priceless masterpieces vanish in the dead of night, leaving museum walls eerily empty. Explore Art Theft—a multi-billion-dollar underworld robbing humanity of its cultural heritage.
🔍 Intriguing Finds
A curated selection of news and discoveries
😴 A common sleep aid disrupts the brain’s cleaning process, potentially raising the risk of neurodegenerative disease
🦠 Outbreaks Near Me, from Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard, tracks COVID-19 and flu in real time as the U.S. steps back from global health bodies
🩺 A largest-of-its-kind CU Anschutz study reveals heavy cannabis use disrupts working memory and lowers brain activity
💡 Caltech scientists discover a surprising speed limit of just 10 bits per second for human thought processing
🤔 A neuroscientist explains why the memory alteration in Severance might not be far from future reality
📖 Books We Are Reading
Night by Elie Wiesel: Given the rise of hatred—or rather, as hatred is becoming more prevalent and popular again and not something that people feel ashamed of—I thought it was the perfect time to share a book so dear to me: Night by Elie Wiesel. It’s a powerful memoir reflecting on Wiesel’s Holocaust experience (connected to our Romanian theme this week), capturing the raw human cost of hatred and the enduring strength of hope.
The Whole Picture by Alice Procter: The colonial story of the art in our museums—and why we need to talk about it. Procter pulls back the curtain on how deeply colonialism has shaped our galleries and the narratives they present, urging us to confront uncomfortable truths about what we see on museum walls and what’s left out.
👥 Readers Corner
Share what you’re reading, your favorite “Polymath Notebook” find, and I’ll feature the most intriguing responses in next week’s issue!
💭 How Inquisitive
🔙 Answer to last week’s question
💥How did Gunpowder come into existence?
Gunpowder was accidentally discovered in 9th-century China by alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality. The mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal created an explosive reaction instead of eternal life. By the 10th century, its military applications spread, revolutionizing warfare and eventually reaching the rest of the world through trade and conquest.
⏭️ Question for next week
🌍 Which ancient supercontinent existed before Pangaea?
Stay tuned to find out how Earth’s earlier landmasses shaped our planet long before it looked like it does today.
Loved this issue or have ideas for future topics? Reply to this email—I’d love to hear from you!
🇷🇴 Ai grijă de tine. Să ai o zi, o seară sau o noapte minunată, oriunde ai fi! Fii bun!
🇺🇸 Take care. Have a wonderful day, evening, or night wherever you are. Be kind!
Best,
Naya
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🍵 If you enjoy any of my work, writing, thinking, etc. I always enjoy a nice cup of matcha 😁 or kind and uplifting words 🫶🏾.
Thank you to my recent supporters:
Anne, Benjamin, Victoria, and J.
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