Words of Wisdom — July 7, 2014

H.G. Wells on Willpower

“Will is stronger than fact: it can mold and overcome fact.” – H.G. Wells

bigthinkeditor

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

“Will is stronger than fact: it can mold and overcome fact.” – H.G. Wells

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Does the CMB really “prove” the Big Bang?

Since the mid-1960s, the CMB has been identified with the Big Bang’s leftover glow. Could any alternative explanations still work?

A silhouette of a person with glowing orange eyes against a brightly lit office window exudes an aura of power, casting dramatic shadows that heighten the room's awareness.

Business

How leaders can avoid a power-driven descent from hero to villain

If you have any sort of power for any reasonable length of time, you will be changed by it — awareness of the effects is crucial.

Starts With A Bang

Political realities do not change scientific ones

In partisan political times, recognizing the scientific truth is more important than ever. Scientists must be vocal and clear about reality.

A Rubik's cube with a red X floats in space, next to a planet and moon—each marked with green checkmarks—that boast their perfect round shape.

Starts With A Bang

Is “round” the only allowable shape for planets?

All the stars, stellar corpses, planets, and other large, massive objects take on spherical or spheroidal shapes. Why is that universal?

Illustration of human evolution with silhouettes of ape to human walking against an abstract background with swirling red and white patterns.

The Past

A new spin on the “Stoned Ape Hypothesis”

The controversial theory about magic mushrooms and human evolution gets a much-needed update.

Up Next

Technology & Innovation

Rethinking the Megaplex: AMC’s Plan to Boost Audience Turnout

America’s 2nd-largest theater chain will cut auditorium capacities and replace existing seats with reclining versions. The company is banking on a quality-over-quantity approach to competing with home entertainment.