How to double your brain power How do we deal with information overload and unlock creativity? Build a second brain. ▸ 6 min — with Tiago Forte
Starts With A Bang Quantum entanglement just got a whole lot weirder It isn’t just identical particles that can be entangled, but even those with fundamentally different properties interfere with each other.
Life “Virivores” discovered: Microbes that survive on a virus-only diet Carnivores, herbivores, omnivores — and now virivores.
Sponsored Bad at saving? You can blame your “money personality” There are four money personality types. Which are you?
Thinking How the liberal arts can save higher education Computerized, job-focused learning undercuts the true value of higher education. Liberal arts should be our model for the future.
Neuropsych Duolingo is probably a better Alzheimer’s treatment than the newest breakthrough drug And it’s much, much less expensive.
The Present The case for global optimism continues to grow in 2023 From COVID and cancer vaccines to a steady drop in the number of people living in extreme poverty, there are reasons for optimism in 2023.
Starts With A Bang The Milky Way’s next supernova could reveal dark matter The last naked-eye Milky Way supernova happened way back in 1604. The next one could be the key to solving the dark matter mystery.
Life The radical quest to discover how the first molecules of life arose In the early 20th century, a young biochemist named Alexander Oparin set out to connect “the world of the living” to “the world of the dead.”
Hard Science Scientists use laser beam to divert lightning strikes Laser-guided lightning systems could someday offer much greater protection than lightning rods.
The Past Here is the most terrifying pterosaur ever discovered Meet your new flying nightmare: Thapunngaka shawi.
Smart Skills How to use “Solomon’s paradox” to give yourself good life advice Find it easier to sort out your friends’ problems than your own? This paradox is for you.
The Well How to unlock your “peak mind” “What you pay attention to, is your life.” Where do you place precious brain resources? ▸ 6 min — with Amishi Jha
Starts With A Bang Sparkle-filled JWST galaxy solves a longstanding cosmic mystery Most globular clusters appear to form their stars all at once, but there are exceptions. JWST just observed how “second formations” happen.
Health New mRNA universal flu vaccine against all known subtypes takes promising first steps The vaccine provided protection for mouse and ferret models.
Ask a physicist: Do humans have souls? Do humans have souls, or are we just particles? Physicist Sabine Hossenfelder explains. ▸ 5 min — with Sabine Hossenfelder
The Present Krispy Kreme donuts to be filled, frosted, and packaged by machines Automation could help fix the company’s financial troubles.
Starts With A Bang Starts With A Bang podcast #89 – The active threat of the Sun Here on Earth, the Sun is our primary source of light, heat, and energy. But it also poses a grave threat to human civilization.
High Culture 5 great (and underrated) songs about cities Most popular songs are about love and heartache. But some great songs — albeit underrated and perhaps a bit weird — are about the cities we love.
The Present 39 years ago, a KGB defector chillingly predicted modern America A disturbing interview given by a KGB defector in 1984 describes America of today and outlines four stages of mass brainwashing used by the KGB.
The Past Here’s what being filthy rich in Europe looked like in 1000 BC, 1 AD, and 1000 AD Studying the display of personal wealth across time can help us better understand the history of socioeconomic inequality.
The Past How the ancient Greeks viewed pederasty and homosexuality In many city-states, it was perfectly acceptable for older men to have sexual relationships with young boys.
The Learning Curve Want to live a happy life? Focus on your relationships Harvard psychiatrist Robert Waldinger discusses how 80 years of ongoing research show relationships to be vital for health and happiness.
Hard Science There could be life on hot, volcanic Io, Jupiter’s “pizza moon” On Earth, microbial growth is common in lava tubes no matter the location and climate, whether it’s ice-volcano interactions in Iceland or hot, sand-floored lava tubes in Saudi Arabia.
Starts With A Bang Ask Ethan: How can we comprehend the size of the Universe? Human beings are tiny creatures compared to the 92 billion light-year wide observable Universe. How can we comprehend such large scales?
Hard Science A disturbing 1995 prediction by Carl Sagan accurately describes America today A quote from a 1995 book by astronomer Carl Sagan describes a world many find disturbingly similar to ours.
Sponsored Not like Amazon: Why China’s Alibaba has stalled after a meteoric rise Although it’s often described as the Amazon of China, Alibaba has a radically different business model that does not rely on inventory management.
Health Would following the USDA Dietary Guidelines actually make us healthy? A food fight may finally be put to rest.