The concept of beauty has been historically linked to the study of philosophy and art, but science has also tried to analyse and understand it from different perspectives. We live surrounded by diverse and overlapping beauty, which can be approached from a cultural, biological, sociological, or neurological point of view, as well as from many others. In the new Metode monograph, «Beauty and nature», we will see how science has sought to explain the causes and evolutionary consequences of sexual beauty in the animal world. In addition, the relationship between nature, beauty, and art is analysed.
The monograph has been coordinated jointly by Raquel Ortells Bañeres and Eduardo M. García Roger, both professors of Ecology and members of the Evolutionary Ecology Laboratory of the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (University of Valencia, Spain). In addition, the issue includes contributions from experts such as Juan Ignacio Pérez, Tamra C. Mendelson, Michael J. Ryan, Enrique Font, Enrique V. Font-Ferrer, Mónica Vergés, and Romà de la Calle. The journal features several artworks that explore the connections between beauty and nature from different styles and points of view. Both the piece that illustrates the cover and those that accompany the articles in the monograph were selected from a competition organised by Metode in February.
In Metode, we continue to explore the different forms that science communication can take. To this end, this issue includes a dossier on science and comics coordinated by Julia Haba. This volume is complemented by articles such as an interview with Professor of Evolutionary Biology Andreas Wagner, and an article on the philosopher, anthropologist, and sociologist Bruno Latour, who passed away in October 2022. In addition, we find a new installment of ‘Science tales’, written by Pere Puigdomènech, as well as the sections by our usual contributors.
Issue 115 of Metode closes a very special year for the publication, as we celebrate our 30th anniversary. To commemorate it, the Valencian artist Rafael Armengol has created a piece of artwork that you can find within the journal’s pages.
