Guest Thinkers — February 16, 2011

Want to know what I’m reading online?

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

For those who are interested in what I’m reading online, here are is a number of the RSS channels in my Google Reader account (some blogs are in multiple channels):

1 to 1 schools

Blogs that deserve a bigger audience (DABA)

CASTLE blogs

CASTLE’s list of great blogs for busy administrators

Education

Educational leadership

Educational technology

You too can subscribe to these channels by using the RSS feed at each link. These channels are fluid; I add and remove individual blogs all the time!

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Two scientists in lab coats and gloves examine a small transparent plate with colorful dots, held by tweezers, in a laboratory setting.

The Future

The big problems driving nanotech development

It’s been 65 years since Richard Feynman saw “plenty of room” in the nano-world. Are we finally getting down there?

The Present

Microplastic overload: Is cutting production the only realistic way to curb pollution?

On November 25, U.N. members will meet in South Korea to cap off a series of meetings aiming to reduce global plastic pollution.

Silhouette of a person against a blue background, overlaid with white node and line networks.

Thinking

Mechanized minds: AI’s hidden impact on human thought

While we’re busy wondering whether machines will ever become conscious, we rarely stop to ask: What happens to us?

A collage featuring ancient Egyptian art, handprints, geometric sketches, and prehistoric tools, alongside the text "Human Agency" and the number "2" in the top right corner on an orange and white grid background.

The Past

How humanity transformed its fate

From surviving on wild plants and game to controlling our world with technology, humanity’s journey of progress is a story of expanding human agency.

The Present

Khan Academy’s founder on how AI can supercharge “mastery learning”

“We should be informed and educated about the risks of AI, but we can’t be afraid,” Khan Academy founder Sal Khan told Big Think.

Up Next

Guest Thinkers

Knowing the parts of a neuron isn’t really that important

I recently had the conversation below with a high school science teacher (and, yes, I did it respectfully for those of you who are wondering)… Teacher I want my students […]