Words of Wisdom — November 7, 2013

Existence as an Act of Rebellion

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” -Albert Camus

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A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”

-Albert Camus

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Collage of social media icons and pixelated images in a grid layout, featuring Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook logos on a red background.

The Present

Internet freedom is fading in the new era of social control

“The evolution of digital media makes stricter regulation of online behavior not only feasible but inevitable,” writes media ecologist Andrey Mir.

In a black and white illustration, four cartoon characters stand among poppies, set against a fantasy world backdrop. Overlaid text delves into the 19th-century currency debate, highlighting the clash between "Silverites" and "Goldbugs," merging historical intrigue with imaginative charm.

High Culture

5 beloved fantasy novels based on real history

Many beloved fantasy adventures take place in worlds that bear a striking resemblance to our own.

Starts With A Bang

Einstein: The lone genius is pure mythology

Many mavericks look to Einstein as a unique figure, whose lone genius revolutionized the Universe. The big problem? It isn’t true.

Silhouette of NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft with antennas poised against a colorful planetary surface, sparking dreams of alien life.

Starts With A Bang

How NASA’s Europa Clipper helps the hunt for alien life

Could life be widespread throughout the cosmos, in the subsurface oceans of ice-covered worlds? NASA’s Europa Clipper mission investigates.

A globe is encircled by golden barbed wire against a gray background, evocative of autocracy and symbolizing restriction or confinement with a sense of luxury.

The Present

Today’s dictators are united — but not by ideology

Modern autocracies operate “not like a bloc but rather like an agglomeration of companies,” says journalist and historian Anne Applebaum.

Up Next

Surprising Science

Coming Soon: A Thermometer Attached To A Smartphone

In more creative mobile tech news: Kinsa consists of the thermometer — which attaches to the headphone jack — and an app that tells a user the local “health weather” as well as their temperature.