The lead singer on Supercell's eponymous first album is Hatsune Miku-a Vocaloid character created by Crypton Future Media with voice synthesizers. A virtual superstar, over 100,000 songs, uploaded mostly by fans, are attributed to her. Supercell is a Japanese creator music group with the composer Ryo leading ten artists, who design album illustrations and make music videos. These videos are uploaded onto Niconico and other video-sharing sites. By the time Supercell was released in March 2009, the group's Vocaloid works were already well-known to Niconico users and fans. This book explores the Vocaloid and DTM (desktop music) phenomena through the lenses of media and fan studies, looking closely at online social media platforms, the new technology for composing, avid fans of the Vocaloid character, and these fans' performative practices. It provides a sense of how interactive new media and an empowered fan base combine to engage in the creation processes and enhance the circulation of DTM works. 33 1/3 Global, a series related to but independent from 33 1/3, takes the format of the original series of short, music-basedbooks and brings the focus to music throughout the world. With initial volumes focusing on Japanese and Brazilian music, the series will also include volumes on the popular music of Australia/Oceania, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and more.

With contributions from founders of the field, including Justin Barrett, E. Thomas Lawson, Robert N. McCauley, Paschal Boyer, Armin Geertz and Harvey Whitehouse, as well as from younger scholars from successive stages in the field's development, this is an important survey of the first twenty-five years of the cognitive science of religion. Each chapter provides the author's views on the contributions the cognitive science of religion has made to the academic study of religion, as well as any shortcomings in the field and challenges for the future. Religion Explained? The Cognitive Science of Religion after Twenty-five Years calls attention to the field whilst providing an accessible and diverse survey of approaches from key voices, as well as offering suggestions for further research within the field. This book is essential reading for anyone in religious studies, anthropology, and the scientific study of religion.

Some 600 million children worldwide do not legally exist. Without verifiable identification, they and unregistered adults could face serious difficulties in proving their identity, whether to open a bank account, purchase a SIM card, or cast a vote. Lack of identification is a barrier to full economic and social inclusion. Recent advances in the reach and technological sophistication of identification systems have been nothing less than revolutionary. Since 2000, over 60 developing countries have established national ID programs. Digital technology, particularly biometrics such as fingerprints and iris scans, has dramatically expanded the capabilities of these programs. Individuals can now be uniquely identified and reliably authenticated against their claimed identities. By enabling governments to work more effectively and transparently, identification is becoming a tool for accelerating development progress. Not only is provision of legal identity for all a target under the Sustainable Development Goals, but this book shows how it is also central to achieving numerous other SDG targets. Yet, challenges remain. Identification systems can fail to include the poor, leaving them still unable to exercise their rights, access essential services, or fully participate in political and economic life. The possible erosion of privacy and the misuse of personal data, especially in countries that lack data privacy laws or the capacity to enforce them, is another challenge. Yet another is ensuring that investments in identification systems deliver a development payoff. There are all too many examples where large expenditures sometimes supported by donor governments or agencies appear to have had little impact. Identification Revolution: Achieving Sustainable Development in the Digital Age offers a balanced perspective on this new area, covering both the benefits and the risks of the identification revolution, as well as pinpointing opportunities to mitigate those risks.

Separating truth from hype, this book introduces readers to the topic of life extension in a holistic manner that provides scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives. While the story of 16th-century explorer Juan Ponce de León futilely searching for the Fountain of Youth is likely a myth, it is true that for many centuries, mankind has sought "a cure for aging." Today, the anti-aging and longevity industry is a multibillion-dollar industry, and medical advances are continuing to find ways to add to our time on earth. Finding the Fountain of Youth: The Science and Controversy behind Extending Life and Cheating Death introduces readers to the topic of life extension in a holistic manner, examining the topic through scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives. It also highlights key medical and ethical controversies related to this particular area of gerontology and serves as a gateway for further research and study. The book's chapters address the history of movements to remain youthful, from ancient times through the modern era; past medical advances that significantly extended the average lifespan; and our cultural obsession with "staying young" that has spawned the anti-aging industry. Readers will learn about basic principles of aging and anti-aging, as well as the science behind the methods—both proven and hypothetical—that serve to extend the lifespan. The final section of the book examines controversial issues and debates related to life extension, such as global overpopulation, length of life versus quality of life, and socioeconomic concerns.