Festival: What is the future of humanity?
Brave New World image: Annick Elzenga
How is the world changing, and what does it mean to live in it? This is the central question at the annual Brave New World art and science conference, which will take place in Leiden on 17 September.
During the event, researchers, artists, philosophers and technologists will come together to discuss the social and ethical implications of new technologies, before these innovations are introduced to society.
AI as a storyteller
Several researchers from Leiden University will take the stage. Assistant professor Max van Duijn will explain why stories make us human, and what happens when AI becomes a storyteller. Drawing on insights from cognitive science, linguistics and AI, he explores how humans and machines develop social intelligence, empathy and the ability to understand the thoughts of others.
Manipulating emotions
David van Bodegom, Professor of Vitality in an Ageing Population, focuses on a different question: how can we live longer, healthier lives? He will show what people can learn from animals about longevity. Professor of Cognitive Psychology, Mariska Kret, will guide the audience through the science behind emotions and the possibilities for manipulating them.
Brave New World will also feature speakers from beyond academia. Artist Sonja Bäumer, for example, questions the idea that the body is a self-contained organism. She explores how closely connected we are to microbes and other forms of life.
Brave New World 2026 will take place on 17 September 2026 in Leiden. Tickets are available via the Brave New World website.