August 14, 2013

“I am sorry for unintended consequence of my actions.”

Facing up to 90 years of jail time for leaking classified documents, Bradley Manning apologized during the sentencing phase of his trial.

bigthinkeditor

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Facing up to 90 years of jail time for leaking classified documents, Bradley Manning apologized during the sentencing phase of his trial.

“I am sorry that my actions hurt people” he told the court. “I am sorry that they hurt the United States…When I made these decisions, I believed I was going to help people, not hurt people.”

What do you think?

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 wasp illustration in blue on grid paper is overlaid on a close-up image of effervescent bubbles in a golden alcoholic liquid.

Health

The first known animal that’s “immune” to alcohol intoxication

Could studying the Oriental hornet lead to a treatment for people with alcohol use disorder?

Collage showcasing a stratospheric balloon soaring over Earth and a close-up of fingers, with "The Nightcrawler" emblazoned at the top, capturing the spirit of a creative renaissance.

Business

How AI is ushering in a creative renaissance

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

Starts With A Bang

How to make peace with the weirdness of quantum mechanics

Our classical intuition is no good in a quantum Universe. To make sense of it, we need to learn, and apply, an entirely novel set of rules.

Two colorful cells with purple nuclei, green cell edges, and radiating filament structures against a black background.

Health

When muscles work out, they help neurons to grow

The findings suggest that biochemical and physical effects of exercise could help heal nerves.

Up Next

Ideas are the New Widgets

Do you know what a “tiger mom” is? Does the phrase “the tipping point” immediately bring Malcolm Gladwell to mind? “Idea entrepreneurs,” argues John Butman, are a new and influential breed, driven primarily by passion for an idea and the desire to spread it.