Experiencing the “overview effect” appears to be transformational. Studies show that feelings of awe make subjects more patient, less materialistic, and more willing to volunteer to help others.
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So constitutional journalists such as Linda Greenhouse have attacked the federalism argument that libertarian constitutional scholars such as Randy Barnett want to use to strike down the DOMA. The result, […]
Imagine you have a friend who, like many high-achieving people, has a goal. In the service of that goal, your friend eats very little and ends up looking like skin […]
It is believed that the first war-related photographs were taken in 1847 by an anonymous photographer during the Mexican–American War, of which we “Remember the Alamo” and little else. But […]
Perhaps if the penalties for reneging hurt the politicians themselves – not the American people – then they would comply more readily.
Like many Americans of a certain age, for me, Andy Kaufman (shown above) was first, and in some ways forever, Latka Gravas, the lovable garage mechanic with the endearing misuse […]
Ask most people to describe a “robot,” and they’d probably start to describe something vaguely human-looking, maybe something a little metallic or shiny with limbs. Something like the Roboy. Or WALL-E. Or […]
I had to plumb memories of a SchoolHouse Rock video this morning to sort out exactly what was so out of place at the Supreme Court during Wednesday morning’s oral […]
The combination of plastic particles and nanoscale cubes can be used to create stain-resistant clothing and protective body gear, among other things.
Never mind remembering creative strings of data: Google is researching small devices — a USB card, a wireless “smart ring” — that will automatically log you into a Web site or database.
Good morning, everyone! It’s a fresh new year, and the winds of change are blowing once again. This is my last post on Big Think. Effective immediately, Daylight Atheism is […]
The video below is a new public service announcement from the US FDA on the risks of drinking grapefruit juice when taking medication. We’ve known for over a couple of […]
The author of a study that examined recruiter behavior at elite firms says many choose potential employees in the same way they’d choose friends or even romantic partners.
The New York Police Department announced today that it would begin distributing fake painkillers to pharmacies in one of several plans to stem a rising tide of prescription drug theft.
Back in the bad old days that are always threatening to repeat on us, it was alleged that rape victims were “asking for it.” We were supposed to know that […]
There are few trends in the “maker movement” that have the potential to disrupt traditional industries, economies and the wider culture than 3D Printing.
Now that two states have legalized marijuana for recreational use, a coalition of farmers and activists are pushing harder for allowing its “good twin” to be grown commercially again.
Enter a rapidly changing world where a passionate scientist by the name of Isaac Newton burns political bridges in London, a royal astronomer, Edmond Halley, seeks a powerful formula from […]
On Tuesday night at 9:00 EST, President Obama will deliver his fifth State of the Union address, the first of his second term. Coming just a few weeks on the […]
Last night, the group of researchers responsible for the creation of the SPAUN project – that just published the first large scale model of a functioning brain to produce complex behaviours began […]
We are currently in the midst of one the biggest software and hardware revolutions we’ve ever witnessed. With processing power, storage, and bandwidth increasing exponentially, smart phones and smart tablets […]
Every year since 1967, the world’s technology companies gather at the International Consumer Electronics Show to exhibit the latest flashy products they’ve been working on. For the tech nuts who […]
I wanted my audience to identify with Shylock in a deeply personal way, so much so that they would involuntarily nod and think, “Yes, I understand, I have been there.”
With our increasingly global 21st century making the traditional college quadrangle look a little parochial, the Minerva vision is an intriguing development.
Did you know that time travel was possible? It really is. For example, you can visit remote parts of the Amazon River and meet people who are living just as […]
How, our grandchildren will ask, did we come to marriage equality in the United States? And we’ll answer, like Hemingway’s Mike Campbell: “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” We can grasp […]
How virtualization and cloud computing is transforming the business world.
If you thought the Internet of Things was a big idea, what about an Internet that connects humans with apes, elephants and dolphins? In what has to be one of the most […]
Social science can be controversial, but it has established some facts beyond a reasonable doubt, which are now part of “what everybody knows.” Like the 20th century’s “great moderation” in […]