Words of Wisdom — January 16, 2014

Muhammad Ali on Living and Learning

“A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.” – Muhammad Ali (born on this date in 1942)

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A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

“A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.” – Muhammad Ali (born on this date in 1942)

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A group of people, including children, wade through a shallow river in the forested area of the Darién Gap. One person carries a suitcase and other luggage on their back.

The Present

This travel vlogger crossed the Darién Gap, the world’s deadliest migrant route

Each year, over half a million migrants cross the deadly jungle separating Colombia from Panama in search of a better life in the United States.

An image of a pop-culture city with a woman in the sky, representing future visions.

The Future

Are fictional dystopias blocking us from better futures?

Do grim sci-fi scenarios crush our hopes for real-world growth? Author Michael Harris looks elsewhere to unblock the road to a better future.

A creative spark ignites amidst darkness.

The Learning Curve

“The Onion” founder explains his strategy for sparking creativity

Scott Dikkers discusses comedy, the creative process, and life lessons learned playing peekaboo.

a drawing of a man wearing a helmet with a map in the background.

The Past

The insult that sparked Genghis Khan to destroy an empire

When Mongol traders came knocking, Sultan Muhammad II shaved off their beards. Three years later, his whole empire was annihilated.

The Past

How dinosaurs evolved into birds

Although many dinosaurs never left the ground, they still possessed the basic structural framework for flight.

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