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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 23h

October will be an important month for the Nine Dots Prize as we look to celebrate our tenth anniversary and launch our sixth prize cycle. We will also look ahead to the publication of Grace Huckins book, The Prediction Revolution. Be sure to sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date!

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 18/09/2026

Three thinkers. Three different fields. In our latest podcast episode, we sat down with three of our brilliant Board members, Dr Linda Yueh CBE, Professors J Jarpa Dawuni and Riccardo Rebonato to consider why questions are important and how the board selects its big questions and ideas.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 09/09/2026

One month to go! In one month, the next Nine Dots Prize cycle begins - and we’ll reveal the new question at its centre. A new question. A new search for the best original response. And a $100,000 prize and book deal for the winner. More soon.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 07/09/2026

This October, we’re marking ten years of the Nine Dots Prize! To celebrate, we’re bringing together board members and previous winners to look forward to the questions that we think will be of utmost relevance and importance over the next ten years. Book your tickets here: luma.com/lz1ipqnn

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 03/09/2026

Which questions will matter in ten years’ time? Our latest podcast brings three Nine Dots Prize board members together to look beyond and consider the ‘big questions’ we should be asking next. Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wgr... Listen: ninedotsprize.libsyn.com

youtube.com

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 26/08/2026

AI is advancing quickly, but speed is not always the same as understanding. For the first instalment of The Essay in…, we consider how essays can help us examine the ethical, intellectual and social questions surrounding artificial intelligence.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 19/08/2026

Ahead of our 10th birthday celebrations, we sat down with three of our brilliant Board members, Dr Linda Yueh CBE, Professor J Jarpa Dawuni and Professor Riccardo Rebonato to look ahead at the questions we could explore in the next 10 years. Watch the episode here: youtu.be/5WgrFXBzYKY

youtu.be

Nine Dots Prize podcast: Asking Questions (01/2026) video version

YouTube video by Nine Dots Prize

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 18/08/2026

2026 marks the Nine Dots Prize’s 10th anniversary! To celebrate this milestone, we’re hosting an in-person event at Cambridge bringing together our previous winners, and the 2024/25 winner Grace Huckins, as well as our board members. Book your tickets through this link: luma.com/lz1ipqnn

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 14/08/2026

Every essay begins with a single sentence. Every argument begins with a single idea.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 07/08/2026

The questions that the Prize explore never belong to one discipline alone. Who decides what counts as knowledge? A question might lead a historian towards archives, or a publisher towards access and representation. What perspective will you bring to our next question?

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 30/07/2026

Summer often encourages us to look outward - to explore, travel and discover new things. Essays ask us to do something similar: to become curious about people, places, ideas and experiences outside of our own.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 22/07/2026

“Attention is the rarest and purest form of Generosity.” This group exhibition brings together artists whose work across forms invites you to consider the qualities of focus and care that underpin the creative process. www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/51754/

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 16/07/2026

Big idea: This time last year, scientists detected the biggest merger of two massive black holes, which caused scientists to re-evaluate current theories of how black holes form www.theguardian.com/science/2025... Some discoveries don’t just answer questions, they force us to ask entirely new ones

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 07/07/2026

CRASSH has shared its summer 2026 reading list where you can find a selection of books, papers and articles written, edited and co-authored by current and recent members of the @crasshlive.bsky.social research community. What’s on your summer reading list? www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/blog/crassh-...

crassh.cam.ac.uk

CRASSH summer reading 2026 - CRASSH

An interdisciplinary summer reading list courtesy of CRASSH's research community. Enjoy!

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 25/06/2026

🌍Big Question If you could spend a year understanding one subject deeply, what would it be? #BigQuestions #DeepThinking #PersonalGrowth #Knowledge #Education

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 23/06/2026

Our podcast explores the essay as a form, writing tips, and features a range of guests sharing their insights. If you're looking for thoughtful listening this summer, or something to help you on your writing journey, now is a great time to start! www.youtube.com/@ninedotspri...

youtube.com

Nine Dots Prize

The Nine Dots Prize rewards original thinking in response to contemporary societal issues. Each Prize cycle lasts two years, with a new question being announced every other October.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 17/06/2026

Question: Can creativity be shared between humans and machines? Big Idea: Mathematicians are increasingly using AI systems not just to check work, but to identify patterns and suggest new avenues. Some researchers believe this could fundamentally change how mathematics is done. shorturl.at/iO2b6

nature.com

‘It is incredible’: How AI is transforming mathematics

Thanks to some surprising advances, mathematicians are starting to realize that artificial intelligence could radically alter their profession.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 12/06/2026

What aspects of an essay keep you reading? - Insight - Perspective - Story - Argument

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 04/06/2026

Today marks the start of the Weirding Sustainability Festival, a two-day event, exploring what global weirding means for researchers, creative practitioners, and citizens, and how reimagining our practices spark more radical and meaningful change? www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/50956/

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 29/05/2026

Writing exercise: Take an essay you are writing and argue against its central idea. Research may lead you to another conclusion and accounting for any contradictions will only strengthen your work.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 28/05/2026

A question for all our followers: what is a book, essay or topic you’ve been wanting to read but haven’t found writings on? It may begin with you.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 20/05/2026

Writing Tip: Leave a draft for a few days and return to it at a later date, as a reader rather than a writer. Oftentimes, taking a step back to look at work with a fresh pair of eyes will illuminate what matters most in a piece.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 14/05/2026

Big Idea: Scientists have discovered more than 100 new species in the Coral Sea marine park, reminding us how much of the planet remains unknown. How does the idea of an unknown world change the way we think about certainty and understanding? www.theguardian.com/environment/...

theguardian.com

Deepwater discoveries: scientists find more than 110 new fish and invertebrate species in the Coral Sea

Brittlestars, sea anemones and a catshark among new-to-science species collected during expedition off the Queensland coast

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 08/05/2026

Later this month, join @crasshlive.bsky.social for its Annual Lecture with Tina Campt (Princeton University), presenting from her forthcoming book, Art in a Time of Sorrow. In this talk, she explores how Black contemporary art gives expression to absence, grief and mourning. tinyurl.com/mwj8km63

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Annual Lecture with Tina Campt | Afterimages: Grieving in fractured time - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 05/05/2026

This week is the start of the Driftlines film festival in Cambridge dedicated to stories of resilience, activism, and self-determination across ocean worlds. @crasshlive.bsky.social will be hosting a dynamic programme of screenings, workshops, and events: www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/50654...

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Driftlines Film Festival | Te Puna Ora: The Source of Life (2024) - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 23/04/2026

A good Nine Dots‑style question often emerges from intellectual discomfort. Embrace that discomfort and see where your writing takes you!

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 17/04/2026

How does a cow learn to use a broom as a tool? Join @crasshlive.bsky.social for a special event bringing together experts in philosophy, comparative cognition, vision science, and computational psychology to explore how humans and other animals navigate the physical world. tinyurl.com/4rj5w5uv

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Thinking Through Things: How human and animal minds understand the physical world - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 14/04/2026

AI and the Novel Next week, join an expert panel as they discuss the novel as a form and what they hope and fear from the AI revolution. Book your tickets: www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/50508/

crassh.cam.ac.uk

AI and the Novel - CRASSH

Cambridge Literary Festival

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 02/04/2026

As we near the end of the 2024/25 prize cycle, the Board has begun to think about the next Nine Dots Prize question. This question will shape the next two years of thinking, research and writing for the Prize, and opening up new ways of thinking.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 31/03/2026

Big idea: What if ADHD isn’t a lack of attention, but hypercuriosity, an intensified urge to explore and understand? A recent Positive News piece explores how reframing ADHD could change how we teach—and what we value. www.positive.news/lifestyle/he...

positive.news

Rethinking ADHD as ‘hypercuriosity’

What if ADHD isn’t a deficit of attention, but an intensified curiosity? A new study explores how reframing ADHD could transform education

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 24/03/2026

Five questions. Five books. From attention economics to belonging and law, explore past Nine Dots Prize winners and the books their essays became! www.cambridge.org/core/publica...

cambridge.org

Books | Publications | Cambridge Core

Cambridge University Press publishes research monographs, academic reference, textbooks, books for professionals, and books for graduate students.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 19/03/2026

This Saturday, join artist and writer Alice Mazzilli and Cambridge research professor Pippa Steele for a Jamigraphy workshop, exploring the rhythm of writing in response to live soundscapes. www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/48957/

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Jamigraphy: Writing as rhythm, movement and embodiment - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 17/03/2026

@cambridgefestival.bsky.social is here! Our partner @crasshlive.bsky.social has a programme filled with talks, workshops, art & exhibitions running 16 Mar–2 Apr. A month of public thinking across multiple disciplines. Come see what’s on: www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/blog/cambrid... #CambridgeFestival

crassh.cam.ac.uk

CRASSH at the Cambridge Festival 2026 - CRASSH

Introducing this year’s contributions by CRASSH researchers and fellows to the Cambridge Festival.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 12/03/2026

As part of @cambridgefestival.bsky.social, next week @crasshlive.bsky.social is hosting an immersive, hands-on workshop: ‘The Word for World is Forest’. This event invites participants to reimagine trees through art and climate fiction. Thursday 19th March: www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/49875/

crassh.cam.ac.uk

The Word for World is Forest: Imagining trees through art and climate fiction - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 06/03/2026

Next week marks the start of @cambridgefestival.bsky.social, where @crasshlive.bsky.social will be presenting an exciting series of events, from film screenings to workshops and interactive exhibitions, taking place from 16 March – 2 April. Further details: www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/blog/cambrid...

crassh.cam.ac.uk

CRASSH at the Cambridge Festival 2026 - CRASSH

Introducing this year’s contributions by CRASSH researchers and fellows to the Cambridge Festival.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 04/03/2026

Next Wednesday, join friend of The Nine Dots Prize, David Runciman, for an important discussion reflecting on the state of democracy in the West - and around the world. In collaboration with @lrb.co.uk David will be joined by Lyse Doucet, Thant Myint-U and Christopher Clark shorturl.at/UoMWl

shorturl.at

Book tickets – The Slow Death of Democracy – The Light Auditorium at Friends House

The Slow Death of Democracy – The Light Auditorium at Friends House, Wed 11 Mar 2026 - Update: with a regional war having broken out in the Middle East, with significant democratic and anti-democratic...

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 19/02/2026

Where do you discover new essays? -Books / Collections -Journals & Magazines -Online -Recommendations

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 06/02/2026

The Ambivalent Archives Research Network is hosting a visit to the @britishlibrary.bsky.social's Eccles Institute for the Americas, inviting you to consider the range of print material, practice hands-on engagement, and ask questions of the role of the British Library in archiving in the UK today.

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Ambivalent Archives visits….the British Library - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 05/02/2026

Struggling to make time for your writing? ✍️ Join @crasshlive.bsky.social’s Writing Weeks this March & July, giving you the perfect opportunity to commit to your writing and join a community. (Cambridge University only) Register to attend below: www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/research/pat...

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Writing Weeks - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 30/01/2026

Reading Recommendation: Why I Write By Joan Didion lithub.com/joan-didion-...

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 28/01/2026

What happens when an essay becomes a book? Grace Huckins' book began with a single 3000 word essay but their questions and ideas reach well beyond it. We look forward to seeing Grace Huckins book fully realised later this year.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 21/01/2026

Writing is not measured only by its longevity, but also by its sincerity. A reminder that writing earnestly and led by your own curiosity is often where the most interesting work begins.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 16/01/2026

What place do the arts and culture have in academic research? This important question will be addressed next week by academics working in a range of disciplines, as part of the @crasshlive.bsky.social Connections event. www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/49069/

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Cambridge’s Cultural Compact: Creating a thriving and inclusive culture of the Arts in Cambridge - CRASSH

Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 09/01/2026

For some, January is a quieter time. In these moments, we can focus on our intentions for the months ahead and set our goals accordingly. What do you want to accomplish with your writing this year? #Writing #Writinggoals #Resolutions

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 07/01/2026

The new year doesn’t have to mean reinventing your work or your ideas. It could be a great opportunity to return to projects you previously left unfinished, half-read essays or other work yet to be completed. #NewYears #NewYearResolutions

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 29/12/2025

As we approach the new year, these quieter days offer space for thought and are a great opportunity to return to your half formed ideas and explore unfinished drafts.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 24/12/2025

Wishing all our followers a wonderful holiday season. Thank you to everyone who contributed their responses to this Prize cycle and to all the conversations and questions that have shaped this year.

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 18/12/2025

As we prepare to wrap up a very exciting year and look forward to the next, now would be a great time to revisit Grace Huckins’ brilliant, Prize-winning response as we prepare for the publication of their book next year. ninedotsprize.org/extract-from...

ninedotsprize.org

Extract from Grace Huckins' winning entry - The Nine Dots Prize

GRACE HUCKINS – THE END OF UNDERSTANDING Ask any neuroscientist about “the microprocessor paper,” and they’ll immediately know what you mean. It’s a quirky bit of research, led by a quirky scientist: ...

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The Nine Dots Prize @ninedotsprize.org · 12/12/2025

Last chance next week! ‘Family Matters: Holding you up’ brings together 18 artists’ photographs, paintings, performances, films, sculptures, toys & drawings, offering imaginative and playful ways to consider the impacts of family. @crasshlive.bsky.social www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/47902/

crassh.cam.ac.uk

Exhibition | Family Matters: Holding you up - CRASSH

Art at the Alison Richard Building

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