"This was not just a question of us making a small contribution to helping Mali preserve this fantastic history, but also to help raise the consciousness of our own people about our own continent, our own history, our own rich culture and traditions, " Mr Pahad said.

BBC: Decorated manuscript

These giant unsigned works, produced collectively, may have marked the first time in Arab history that the visual arts had a major impact on public consciousness.

WSJ: Taking It to the Street | The Shift

That "collective consciousness" was a little surprising, since these five guys had little history and a lot of differences.

NPR: Moby Grape Just Can't Catch a Break

He believes this quirk of our consciousness imbues our lives with a sense of cosmic significance that over the course of history has resulted in a species that works harder not just to survive but to flourish and thrive.

CNN: Can ideas get you high?